Nada Koussa, newly elected Miss Lebanon 2024
It wasn’t even midnight yet when the grand hall of Beirut’s Seaside Arena was emptying at lightning speed. Before a shiny stage drowned in confetti, a handful of photographers huddled impatiently. Minutes earlier, Lebanon had crowned its new beauty queen in an atmosphere no different from previous editions, despite the scorching current events.
Irritated by the wait, eager to return to their respective newsrooms to send the photos to print, the men with bulky cameras expressed their frustration towards the new beauty queen, who was getting her nose powdered.
The communication manager of LBCI attempted to offer them an interview with a jury member. "We don’t care; we want the Miss, and we need to leave!" Nearly all the fifty-somethings retorted, more concerned about the looming war than the tears staining the long black dress of an exhausted young woman.
"I find myself here in high heels while my colleague covering the south must be dead with worry," a coiffed journalist tells a fellow reporter adjusting her false eyelashes. "It’s going to explode, but at least we had one last evening," she replied amusedly.
A contrasting scene in media
Simultaneously, on pan-Arab news channels, traditionally ready to announce the election of a Miss Lebanon, the atmosphere was entirely different. With eyes fixed on the Lebanese-Israeli border, special bulletins followed each other in a grave tone after the particularly dramatic turn of events on July 27. Israeli media reported that a “projectile” identified as a rocket fell in the late afternoon near a football field in Majdel Shams on the occupied Golan Heights, killing 12, including children. Hezbollah denied any involvement, and Israeli officials escalated their rhetoric, promising severe reprisals.
"She’s really beautiful!" a Lebanese correspondent for an Emirati media outlet interrupt on the phone, perched on 12-centimeter stilettos. "Do you think we can still slip in the news of her crowning between Netanyahu’s reactions?"
A beauty contest amidst tensions
An ultra-followed beauty contest, respected for its longevity and criticized for its lack of modernity, the institution that Miss Lebanon has become – since its heavy media coverage historically sponsored by LBCI – seems to be somewhat shaky today.
“We mustn’t say anything at all. We are forbidden to reveal anything before the prime-time broadcast under penalty of serious trouble,” an internal source at the channel revealed anonymously, mentioning the almost military authority of Roula Saad, the program’s producer. Known for her role as director of the Star Academy in the 2000s, she now hides in the shadows, monitoring every detail from the backstage darkness and refusing access to accredited personalities. “We obviously can’t reveal the candidates' identities and even less those of the jurors before 8:30 p.m.,” the source added.
Nour Arida’s stand
Model and influencer Nour Arida summoned the press at 6 p.m. to the entrance of the performance hall for “an important speech, a strong gesture before assuming her role on the panel.” There, the famous brunette with 11 million followers stood for a few seconds, both hands raised amidst the flash and curious reporters. “This gesture symbolizes my commitment not to judge women; they all deserve 10 out of 10,” elaborated Arida, who gave the same score of 9.95 to all participants. “You know, since Yasmina Zaytoun was elected first runner-up of Miss World, this competition is taken much more seriously,” her manager husband confided to an acquaintance who nodded.
Miss Lebanon 2024: All female jury
Between crates of wine flowing freely, white-covered tables and strangers marveling at a piece of tuxedo, the capital’s Waterfront aimed for glamor despite the stressed-out mothers of contestants complaining about their bad seats or the printed signs giving the event a false school fair feel, albeit a glittery one.
The all-female jury of this 62nd edition, led by Georgina Rizk (Miss Universe 1971),comprised Razane Jammal, Diana Ghandour, Nour Arida, Petra Khoury, Paola Pharaon, Raya Abirached and Mireille Hayek..
A competition reflecting the times
From the swimsuit round to the evening gowns – all creations by Tony Ward – the fifteen candidates aged 19 to 26 received scores from the eight jurors with an evident sense of benevolence.
While the visual and graphic content of the contest didn’t change, the stories told are far more in tune with a time when women’s voices are finally being heard. Some contestants bravely mentioned in a report the sexual assaults they suffered or the intimidation they faced growing up. Noteworthy is the audience’s emotion towards Thouraya Assaf’s story, a 21-year-old born to a father from Sour and a Sri Lankan former housemaid mother. “In the face of racism, I proudly say that I am infinitely proud of her,” asserted the young woman to her mother and a visibly touched audience.
An evening of mixed emotions
Then come the performances of Elissa promoting her latest album through the exposure of a program with high viewership, especially during the critical moments of questions posed to the final eight contestants still in the running for the crown.
A new queen is crowned
With tense yet smiling faces, the final two candidates in floor-sweeping gowns stood face to face, hand in hand, until the fireworks drowned out the audience. Nada Koussa, 26, was crowned Miss Lebanon 2024 on this scorching summer evening. Originally from Akkar, holder of a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Balamand, she was crowned by Yasmina Zaytoun, who, due to no election in 2023, held the title for two years.
The night concludes
With chairs stacked and gossip journalists glued to their screens, the night ended. Outside, the noise from nearby nightclubs drowned out the oppressive heat. Downtown Beirut restaurants were bustling amid the looming risk of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah.
This article was originally published in L'Orient-Le Jour and translated by Sahar Ghoussoub.
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