Kazakh kawai Sabina Altynbekova wants to organize beauty contest in run-up to EXPO-2017

A well-known young Kazakh volleyball player Sabina Altynbekova has suggested to organize a beauty pageant in a run-up to EXPO-2017 to be held in Astana, Tengrinews reports.

17-year-old athlete woke up famous after Chinese fans noticed her at the 17th Asian Junior Women's Volleyball Championship in the city of Taipei in mid July. She immediately became an Internet sensation because of her appearance. She looks very much like a character from Japanese anime. 

Several companies, including Breeze Center shopping malls network offered the 17 y.o. Kazakh athlete to become their face. But, the young athlete has been turning down all the offers, because her dream is solely about volleyball.

“I became an ambassador of beauty by chance, and became faced with this issue. I know that beauty can change the world for the better from my own experience. Believe me, beauty is energy, too. Amid this situation, I came up with an idea to organize the Miss EXPO-2017 beauty pageant in 2017 under the slogan Beauty energy will save the world,” Sabina said in an interview to Tengrinews.

“It will be an incredible event. Beauties from 100 countries of the world will come to Kazakhstan. However, before that, I would like to organize a regional Miss Astana-EXPO beauty contest. Kazakhstan’s National Commission for Women's Affair, Family and Demographic Policies has already supported this idea. And now I would like to offer it to the organizing committee of the EXPO-2017,” Sabina said.

A panel of judges will select 25 finalists out of 100. Thereafter, the winner will be chosen to represent Kazakhstan at the EXPO-2017. “This is a fabulous transformation of a girl from province into an international ambassador. I think every girl dreams of it,” Sabina continued, "If the organizing committee takes interest in my suggestion, we will be able launch the project.”

Meanwhile, Aigul Mukei press-office chief of Astana EXPO-2017 national company that runs the preparations to the EXPO-2017 believes that cooperation with popular Kazakhstani athlete Sabina Altynbekova will boost interest to the EXPO-2017 among young people.

“We are pleased that the bright representative of Kazak youth like Sabina Altynbekova show interest to EXPO-2017.  Astana EXPO-2017 national company is conducting a number of events in the run-up to the exhibition. They involve youth, students and schoolchildren. During the exhibition in 2017 we plan to organize around 3,000 bright and spectacular shows, performances, and concerts that will primarily attract the younger generation. Sabina is very popular among young people, and if her activities are related to the EXPO, it will help attract more attention of young people to the exhibition at the stage of preparation,” Aigul Mukei said.

Reporting by Roza Yesenkulova, writing by Assel Satubaldina