Georgina Rizk
Encyclopedia
Georgina Rizk was Lebanon
's first and so far only Miss Universe
.
Rizk was born in Beirut
to a Christian household. She was crowned in the Miss Universe pageant in 1971 in Miami Beach, Florida
, USA. She was the first woman from the Middle East
and the fourth woman from Asia
to win the title. In the pageant she made a memorable fashion statement by wearing a very revealing top and hotpants.
Georgina was married in 1976 to Ali Hassan Salameh
, a Palestinian national who was chief of operations for Black September
and founder of Force 17
. The couple spent their honeymoon in Hawaii
, and then stayed at Disneyland. When Rizk became pregnant, she returned to Beirut. Salameh was killed in 1979 by the Mossad
, Israel
's intelligence service. Salameh had been identified as a key participant in the Munich massacre
, and was killed as part of Operation Wrath of God
.
The 1972 Miss Universe pageant was held in Cerromar Beach Hotel in Dorado, Puerto Rico. On May 30, 1972, a month before the pageant telecast, 16 Christian pilgrims from Puerto Rico along with other victims, were killed during a terrorist massacre at the Lod Airport in Israel (now Ben Gurion International Airport). The massacre was perpetrated by three members of the Japanese Red Army on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Due to the possible retaliation from the massacre, Rizk was not allowed to attend the Miss Universe Pageant to crown her successor in Puerto Rico.
Rizk had competed in the 1970 Miss World
competition, but did not place.
, has 2 children and is a judge for the Miss Lebanon
competitions.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
's first and so far only Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
.
Rizk was born in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
to a Christian household. She was crowned in the Miss Universe pageant in 1971 in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, USA. She was the first woman from the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and the fourth woman from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to win the title. In the pageant she made a memorable fashion statement by wearing a very revealing top and hotpants.
Georgina was married in 1976 to Ali Hassan Salameh
Ali Hassan Salameh
Ali Hassan Salameh was the chief of operations—code name Abu Hassan—for Black September, the organization responsible for the 1972 Munich massacre and other attacks. He was also the founder of Force 17...
, a Palestinian national who was chief of operations for Black September
Black September (group)
The Black September Organization was a Palestinian paramilitary group, founded in 1970. It was responsible for the kidnapping and murder of eleven Israeli athletes and officials, and fatal shooting of a West German policeman, during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, their most publicized event...
and founder of Force 17
Force 17
Force 17 was a commando and special operations terror unit of the Palestinian Fatah movement and later of the Office of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority. It was formed in the early 1970s by Ali Hassan Salameh ....
. The couple spent their honeymoon in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and then stayed at Disneyland. When Rizk became pregnant, she returned to Beirut. Salameh was killed in 1979 by the Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's intelligence service. Salameh had been identified as a key participant in the Munich massacre
Munich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
, and was killed as part of Operation Wrath of God
Operation Wrath of God
Operation Wrath of God ,This title was an invention of later writers, and was most likely not used by the Mossad itself. also called Operation Bayonet, was a covert operation directed by Israel and the Mossad to assassinate individuals alleged to have been directly or indirectly involved in the...
.
The 1972 Miss Universe pageant was held in Cerromar Beach Hotel in Dorado, Puerto Rico. On May 30, 1972, a month before the pageant telecast, 16 Christian pilgrims from Puerto Rico along with other victims, were killed during a terrorist massacre at the Lod Airport in Israel (now Ben Gurion International Airport). The massacre was perpetrated by three members of the Japanese Red Army on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Due to the possible retaliation from the massacre, Rizk was not allowed to attend the Miss Universe Pageant to crown her successor in Puerto Rico.
Rizk had competed in the 1970 Miss World
Miss World
The Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951...
competition, but did not place.
Currently
Georgina Rizk is currently married to renowned Lebanese singer Walid TouficWalid Toufic
Walid Toufic , is a Lebanese singer who constantly made his big break in Egypt, and he is also known for performing in concerts and appearing in music videos.-Biography:...
, has 2 children and is a judge for the Miss Lebanon
Miss Lebanon
.Miss Lebanon - Lebanon's Official National Beauty Pageant is a beauty contest in Lebanon.Miss Lebanon is the only national beauty contest that awards prizes worth more than one million US dollars to its winners. It is broadcast on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation , since 1991...
competitions.