Dateline – 5 June 2019

Miss Colombia, Gabriela Tafur Nader, today received a warm welcome in the village of Chartoun, in the district of Aley.

Chartoun is the ancestral village of her grandfather, and this was her first visit to his birthplace.

Ms Nader was received at the village square, in the presence of Mayor Dr. Joseph Maroon and a large crowd of residents. She then proceeded to the church to meet her relatives and the residents of the town.

After playing the Lebanese and Colombian anthems, the mayor gave a welcoming speech and wished for Miss Colombia “to carry the name of her village in her heart to Colombia”.

After that, Ms Nader cut a cake and spoke to the audience, then walked around the town and visited her grandfather’s house.

Later that week, she attended the three-day LDE (Lebanese Diaspora Energy) conference in Beirut and Batroun.

Ms Nader won the title of Miss Colombia 2019. The 23-year-old studied law and graduated with a degree from the university of Los Angeles, and started practicing law before she applied to the competition. Fluent in Spanish, English and Portuguese, she is a woman’s rights advocate, influenced by the wife of former US President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama.