Miss USA Rima Faikh Miss USA Rima Faikh has arrived at her native Lebanon to participate in the BIAF festival held in Beirut. She also planned to use the chance to visit the southern governorate where she's from .
Arabstoday met with Faikh in a hotel in Raouche, Beirut. Fakih told us she was proud of her Lebanese roots and described Lebanese people as “pioneers, life-loving, and successful”.
She noted that she is also happy with her American nationality, through which she reached world fame, stressing that “America possesses a large share of my love and appreciation...so does Lebanon, for which I feel great nostalgia upon hearing its name. I undoubtedly carry a large responsibility, being the beauty queen of the biggest country in the world; for such matter is not ordinary or transient.”
Rima said she plans to go to the South, which would be her first visit after being nominated Miss USA, proclaiming that she is looking forward to exploring southern towns, describing the people of South Lebanon as “kind”.
Fakih said that achieving the crown was not easy, but also not impossible, considering her success a triumph of her ambitions. She refused to engage in any political talk, her lack of knowledge on the topic being her excuse, and clarifying “I wish love, peace, and goodness to all nations, for people to be open-minded and developed and to make use of their life and not waste it on useless things.”
Fakih did not rule out the prospect of engaging in artistic ventures in the US after her term as Miss USA is over, noting that acting is a possibility, so is shooting advertisements, adding that she admires actress Angelina Jolie for her charity work.
Rima said she listens to songs by Lebanese artist Fairouz, in addition to expressing her admiration for the Rahbani Brothers (‘Asi and Mansour), besides her love for Raghib Alama, Asy Hilani, and Majda Al-Roumi.
What is strange in Miss USA’s visit to Lebanon is that she was only accompanied by her brother, without any security guards from the US Embassy in Beirut, besides staying in a four star hotel.
Faikh also visited the Presidential Palace, where President Michel Suleiman received her.