Nineteen stunning participants parade in various attire - wax dresses, swimsuits, evening gowns - in a vibrant venue. After four suspenseful hours, the announcement declares contestant number 18 as the winner.
Lyse Amissah, wearing band 18, weeps joyfully. "I am very moved, very grateful, and very proud to wear this sash and crown," says the 22-year-old student, smiling through tear-streaked makeup, born in France to Ivorian parents.
Weeks earlier, during a Miss rehearsal, the tall young woman with short dyed blonde hair expressed her desire to connect with her roots through the competition, having always been immersed in Ivorian culture.
"We live in France, are proud to be French, and we are eager to showcase our Ivorian culture," notes Flora Sy, president of the Miss Côte d'Ivoire/France committee. "And in Côte d'Ivoire, we also want to show that it is a blend of cultures, an emigration that is very successful."
The candidates present a humanitarian project, countering the "be beautiful and silent" stereotype, says Mams Yaffa. Fighting skin depigmentation, promoting hygiene, health, education... Themes also emphasized in other Miss diaspora elections.
Recently, Miss Senegal/France discussed in Dakar with dozens of young Senegalese the "impact of illegal immigration, to prevent them from boarding a boat," reports Mamadou Thiam, president of the Franco-Senegalese organizing committee, who accompanied her. She also made two TV appearances to spread her message. "We do things on our small scale, without sponsors," he notes, "but with a lot of goodwill."
Lyse Amissah, Miss Côte d'Ivoire/France 2024, explains her desire to help "break the taboo" of endometriosis - a disease usually marked by severe pain during menstruation and/or fertility issues - in her home country.
Listening in the crowd are Miss Peul, Miss and Mister African beauty, and numerous African Misses from France or their runners-up: Senegal, Mali, Togo, Gambia, and the two Congos.
Amissah will compete in June at the Miss Côte d'Ivoire election in Abidjan. She already dreams of another success. "I am proud to be Ivorian. I am also proud to be French," she declares. "But I am especially proud to be able to represent Côte d'Ivoire internationally."
