Half Maori is new Miss Switzerland Source: AP|Published: Monday September 18, 8:14 AM GENEVA, Sept 17 - A 19-year-old Swiss woman born in New Zealand was crowned Miss Switzerland this weekend, and has used the opportunity to express pride in her indigenous Maori roots and urge her adopted country to improve its treatment of immigrants. Mahara McKay, who holds dual citizenship from her Swiss mother and New Zealand father, told the weekly SonntagsBlick that one of her top goals if she were a Swiss politician would be to “ease naturalisation for everyone who was born here (to foreign parents) or who has spent half their life here”. Switzerland, which has one of the lowest naturalisation rates in Europe, has an anti-foreign undercurrent in nationalist and right-wing parties. Applicants for a Swiss passport must live at least 12 years in the country and meet other requirements. The county will have a referendum on the issue next weekend when voters are asked to accept or reject a citizens initiative to limit to 18 per cent the number of non-Swiss residents. The country now has a foreign population exceeding 19 per cent. “I'm very proud that I'm half Maori,” said McKay, who lived in Auckland until she was 10. “The Maori culture is unique. I like the beliefs and the closeness to nature.” McKay, whose father lives in New Zealand, was selected over 15 other contestants yesterday. -- ********************************** 'Click' to protect the rainforest: Make the Rainforest Site your homepage! http://www.therainforestsite.com/ ********************************** ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
