Miss International 2006

Miss International 2006
Date	November 11, 2006
Venue	Beijing Exhibition Centre, Beijing, China
Broadcaster	TV Tokyo
Entrants	53
Placements	12
Winner	Daniela di Giacomo  Venezuela
Congeniality	Koni Lui  Hong Kong
Best National Costume	Mayte Sánchez González  Panama
Photogenic	Vasana Wongbuntree  Thailand Karoliina Yläjoki  Finland

Miss International 2006, the 46th Miss International pageant were held both in Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China. The contestants arrived in Tokyo, Japan on October 12 and the finals was held on November 11, 2006 at Beijing Exhibition Centre, Beijing, China. 53 contestants from all over the world competed for the crown. Miss International 2005, Precious Lara Quigaman, of the Philippines crowned her successor Daniela Di Giacomo of Venezuela as the new Miss International.

Results

Placements

Countries and territories which sent delegates and results.

Final Results	Contestant
Miss International 2006	Venezuela - Daniela Di Giacomo
1st Runner-up	Panama -Mayte Sánchez González
2nd Runner-up	Korea - Jang Yoon-seo
Semi-finalists	China - Chen Qian  Colombia - Karina Guerra Rodriguez  Dominican Republic Wilma Abreu Nazario  Guadeloupe - Meryta Melina  India - Sonali Sehgal  Japan - Mami Sakurai  Puerto Rico - Sharon Gómez  Spain - Sara Sánchez Torres  Thailand - Vasana Wongbuntree

Special Awards

• Most Vibrant: Maria Claudia Barreto (Brazil)
• Most Beautiful Smile: Koni Lui (Hong Kong)
• Miss Best Language: Vinogradova Elena (Russia)
• Miss Best Style: Daniela di Giacomo (Venezuela)
• Miss Friendship: Koni Lui (Hong Kong)
• Miss Goodwill: Sharon Gómez (Puerto Rico)
• Miss Photogenic in China: Karoliina Yläjoki (Finland)
• Miss Photogenic in Japan: Vasana Wongbuntree (Thailand)
• Best National Costume: Mayte Sánchez González (Panama)
• Best Figure: Daniela Digiacomo (Venezuela)
• Best Overall Style: Daniela Digiacomo (Venezuela)
• Best Preliminary Performance: Hiltja Muller (Germany)
• Compassionate Award: Chen Qian (China)

Contestants

Aruba - Luizanne (Zenny) Donata  Australia - Karli Smith  Bolivia - Pamela Justiniano Saucedo  Brazil - Maria Cláudia Barreto de Oliveira  Canada - Emily Kiss  China - Chen Qian  Colombia - Karina Guerra Rodriguez  Cyprus - Elena Georgiou  Czech Republic - Katerina Pospisilova  Dominican Republic - Wilma Abreu Nazario  Ecuador - Denisse Elizabeth Rodriguez Quiñónez  Egypt - Elham Wagdi Fadel  Ethiopia - Fethiya Mohammed Seid  Finland - Karoliina Yläjoki  France - Marie-Charlotte Meré  Germany - Hiltja Müller  Guadeloupe - Melina Aurelie Meryta  Guatemala - Mirna Lissy Salguero Moscoso  Honduras - Lissa Diana Viera Sáenz  Hong Kong - Koni Lui  India - Sonali Sehgal  Japan - Mami Sakurai  Kenya - Rachel Nyameyo  Korea - Jang Yoon-seo  Malaysia - Iris Hng Choy Yin  Martinique - Murielle Desgrelle  Mexico - Alondra del Carmen Robles Dobler

Mongolia - Bolortuya Dagva  New Caledonia - Fabienne Vidoire  New Zealand - Claire Beattie  Nigeria - Misel Uku  Northern Marianas - Shequita Bennett  Norway - Linn Andersen  Panama - Mayte Sánchez González  Peru - Lissy Consuelo Miranda Muñoz  Philippines - Denille Lou Valmonte  Poland - Marta Jakoniuk  Puerto Rico - Sharon Gómez  Republic of the Congo - Maurielle Nkouka Massamba  Russia - Elena Vinogradova  Serbia & Montenegro - Danka Dizdarevic  Singapore - Genecia Luo  Slovakia - Dagmar Ivanova  Spain - Sara Sánchez Torres  Sri Lanka - Gayesha Parera  Sudan - Rebecca Chor Malek  Chinese Taipei - Liu Tzu-Hsuan  Tanzania - Angel Delight Kileo  Thailand - Vasana Wongbuntree  Turkey - Asena Tugal  Ukraine - Inna Goruk  Venezuela - Daniela Di Giacomo  Vietnam - Vu Ngoc Diep

Historical significance

• For the second time only (after 2004), Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China hosts the pageant.
• For the second time only (after 2004), there will be two Miss Photogenics due to the different choices for the Tokyo and Beijing press.
• There was a preliminary competition held rather than selecting the top 12 semifinalists during the final night (like 2005).
• Venezuela wins its 5th Miss International crown.
• Guadeloupe placed at Miss International for the first time.
• Hong Kong wins its 5th Miss Friendship award, also the 3rd consecutive win.
• For the first time since 1967, the traditional pearl crown wasn't used, while the winner was crowned the newly designed crystal crown.

Contestant notes

• Elham Wagdi (Egypt): Who was competed at Miss Earth 2005 and Miss Universe 2009 but failed to make the cut.
• Meryta Melina (Guadeloupe): Who was competed at Miss World 2005 but failed to make the cut.
• Shequita Bennett (Northern Marianas): Who was competed at Miss Universe 2006 but failed to make the cut.
• Vasana Wongbuntree (Thailand): Who was competed in the Miss Tourism Queen International 2007 pageant. She placed 1st runner-up in the pageant, making her country the highest placing at the pageant.
• Gayesha Perera (Sri Lanka): Who competed in the Miss Tourism Queen International 2009 pageant, won the mini pageant Miss Talent there.
• Bahamas, Greece, Israel, Kazakhstan, Nepal, United Kingdom and USA compete last year but not this year.

Important remarks

• The media decided to boycott this year's Miss International contest, after security guards at the venue severely beat up a photographer. Practically no photos made the news agencies and information about the contest was limited to a few lines. Apparently the organization also had problems with SINA, the main sponsor, which created a special website for the contest. SINA refused to keep updating the website.
• Media interest in the contest was so little that the photos featured in several internet forums were taken by the delegates themselves.

References

External links

• Miss International Official Website
• Pageantopolis
• Global Beauties