Creating awareness:Miss Universe, 2010 Ximena Navarrette addresses a press conference as part of ‘Miss Universe — Sanjana Jon Tour 2011' in New Delhi on Friday. NEW DELHI: On her maiden visit to the country, Miss Universe, 2010 Ximena Navarrette of Mexico intends to create awareness about need to celebrate the birth of a girl child.
“It is a privilege for me to have been given an opportunity to speak about the girl child. Through my celebrity status, I want to convince people to give the girl child a full-fledged proper education and help her in taking up a career of her choice. A girl child can do a lot of wonderful things and make a difference in every profession. During my growing up years, I never faced discrimination in my home country,” said Ms. Navarrette, while interacting with journalists here on Friday as part of “Miss Universe — Sanjana Jon Tour, 2011.”
Ms. Navarrette described India as an interesting country. It had a rich cultural heritage and shared similarity with Mexico as far as spicy food was concerned. “I am a big fan of actor Salman Khan. You have such terrific actors and Bollywood is the biggest film industry. Hindi films are synonymous with their big sets, dance, and music,” she said.
The ramp beauty giggled when asked whether she would like to sign a film with her favourite Indian actor. Speaking a smattering of Hindi, she said she might take up a Bollywood project. But right now her priorities were totally different. She would like to endorse commercial products and do some television shows.
Fashion designer and social activist Sanjana Jon noted that her campaign was initiated in the presence of the then Miss Universe and India-born American film-maker M. Night Shyamalan in 2003. The reigning Miss Universe had always extended support to the cause in India for the past five years, she said.
“This year too I am privileged to have the support of Ximena Navarrette for the cause of the girl child. Before she came to India, she did not have knowledge about the practice of female foeticide in our country. Naturally, she was shocked when she learnt about it. It is heartening to know that the government is making effort in this direction and I hope the campaign will make a difference. My personal cause is to do work for people living with HIV.”
Appreciating Mr. Khan's wholehearted support to every cause she supported, Ms. Jon said the actor had a heart of gold and goes all the way to lend his name to a noble cause. “Last year, he and his brother Sohail Khan walked on the ramp in Delhi. He is such a wonderful human being. I want to thank him from the bottom of my heart for whatever he has done for me.”
