By Jane Luscombe
There's a new queen in town today – Zimbabwean Idai Kudakwashe has won the first ever Miss Diversity Oceania. And to prove it's as diverse as they say, a man was also crowned a winner.
The men weren't competing for a crown, but they set the tone for an evening of celebration.
“It doesn't matter who you are,” says organiser Bola Harpprecht “We are celebrating all nationalities, all sizes, all shapes – bringing everyone together as one.”
The first Diversity Oceania pageant attracted entrants from across the world who now consider themselves Kiwis.
And demonstrating that diversity means what it says. It wasn't just about the ladies.
Like most beauty pageants, the men strutted their stuff in swimwear and evening dress.
But there was also room for national costume. The winner: a mother-of-two from Zimbabwe.
The first ever Mr Diversity Oceania came from home soil – Shanye Amner.
“We're not just trying to look beautiful,” says Mr Amner. “We're trying to be beautiful.”
And in that vein, all profits are being donated to Child Cancer New Zealand.
3 News