Former Powell River resident Tara Teng set off for Ordos, China on Saturday, July 14, to compete in the 62nd Miss World competition.
Teng, who won Miss World Canada last year, will be in China from July 18 to August 19. She will be using the competition, which reaches two billion viewers worldwide, to spread her message of ending modern-day slavery.
In a press release, Teng said she was grateful for the support of her friends and family, and honoured to be representing Canada on an international level. The pageant queen hopes to bring the international title home to Canada for the first time ever.
Teng said she wants her message of abolition to always be at the forefront. “[I] truly hope my success is marked by my stand for the value and freedom of every human life,” she explained.
In the same press release, Miss World Canada chair Ike Lalji voiced his support of the pageant contestant. “We stand behind her and know that she is a great representative,” he said, “not only for Canada but for the world.” He described Teng’s determination and passion to make a change in the world as inspiring.
Teng spent the majority of her life in Powell River, living in the city for 16 years before moving to Langley in 2004. The pageant queen has said in the past that being raised in Powell River provided her with a strong foundation that led to her beliefs and her passion for getting involved.
Since competing in Miss British Columbia in 2010, Teng has travelled around the world promoting her cause, as well as worked with various charities including World Vision and Variety-the Children’s Charity.
If readers would like to support Teng, they can visit Miss World Canada's Facebook page. Likes on the page will count toward Teng’s score in the competition.
