30th edition of Mother & Daughter Pageant set for May 13

– 22 mother-daughter duos set to vie for coveted title

Preparations are moving apace for the hosting of the 30th edition of the Mother and Daughter Pageant which is set for Saturday, May 13 at the National Cultural Centre. This year, a total of 22 mother-daughter duos are set to compete in three categories.
The pageant is being hosted under the theme, “The Year of the Pearl, Our Love is Thirty.”
“Based on our research, in the 30th year, we ought to celebrate the pearl. The pearl is one of the most valuable gems known to man and how lucky are we to celebrate such a gem,” Co-producer of the pageant, Dr. Sulan Fung stated at a press briefing on Tuesday.
The pageant’s first production was held in 1990 after a brainstorming session between Ingrid Fung–Dr. Fung’s mother–and a colleague when they were both teachers at St. Joseph’s High School.
“We started in a classroom at St. Joseph’s High School [as] ordinary teachers [with] ordinary lives,” said Ingrid Fung. “My colleague and I were thinking about how we can make life better in a creative way.”
The duo had organsied the Miss St. Joseph’s High School Pageant and it was a resounding success. “We felt good, and when it is good, you want better and so that idea of the mother and daughter pageant germinated,” the senior Fung recollected.
Now in its 30th year, the pageant has grown in scale, with the Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry sponsoring the event for the second consecutive year.
“The family is a very important part of His Excellency’s philosophy and we believe that for us to have a strong society, we must have strong families,” National Events Coordinator within the Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry, Andrew Tyndall related.
“We feel like this pageant helps to showcase, develop and build confidence in what we refer to as the bedrock of the family which would be mothers so we saw it as a natural fit for the Ministry to partner with the Mother and Daughter Pageant,” Tyndall added.
Other sponsors include Chung’s Global Inc. and will host Chung’s Global Red-Carpet event to be live-streamed on TV and social media.
This red carpet marks the beginning of the pageant’s activities and will include complimentary food and drinks and an opportunity for attendees to interact with different companies and walk the carpet.
In addition, Team Mohamed’s will also be sponsoring a “special feature” which will be unveiled on the evening of the pageant.
Sterlings Products Ltd, one of the sponsors is also set to launch several new flavours of sugar-free Igloo ice cream at the event.
“We currently have our french vanilla flavour in our sugar-free ice cream and we will have many more flavours on that day,” Marketing Manager of Sterling Products Limited, said Dellon Lynch stated.
“There will be lots of giveaways to persons who purchase tickets as well as persons who just visit and check out the booth.”
Similar to last year, prizes to the winners will include trips to the United States and local destinations within Guyana, cosmetics, jewellery and complimentary dinners.
The pageant will commence at 18:00h and tickets are on sale at the National Cultural Centre’s box office for $6000, $5500 and $5000.