NATALIE GLEBOVA Miss Universe 2005

              NATALIE VISITS THAILAND

October 4, 2005

Natalie Glebova on Video > and <Slide!

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova gives a traditional Thai greeting known as a 'Wai' during a press conference in Bangkok Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005. Glebova, of Canada, has been invited by a local Thai company to visit Thailand to star in two television commercials and to promote Thai culture. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova gives a traditional Thai greeting known as a 'Wai' during a press conference in Bangkok Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005. Glebova, of Canada, has been invited by a local Thai company to visit Thailand to star in two television commercials and to promote Thai culture. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova (R) of Canada greets a Thai AIDS patient during her global campaign against AIDS at the Buddhist Prabat Namphu Temple for HIV/AIDS patients in central Lopburi province, 150 km (93 miles) northeast of Bangkok, October 4, 2005. Thailand rolled out a national plan on Saturday to give life-saving drugs to people living with HIV-AIDS, one of the few Asian nations to offer universal treatment in a region where the virus threatens to run rampant. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova of Canada holds the hands of a Thai AIDS patient during a visit to the Buddhist Prabat Namphu Temple for HIV/AIDS patients in central Lopburi province, 150 km (93 miles) northeast of Bangkok, October 4, 2005. Thailand rolled out a national plan on Saturday to give life-saving drugs to people living with HIV-AIDS, one of the few Asian nations to offer universal treatment in a region where the virus threatens to run rampant. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova (R) of Canada greets a Buddhist monk at the Buddhist Prabat Namphu Temple for HIV/AIDS patients in central Lopburi province, 150 km (93 miles) northeast of Bangkok, October 4, 2005. They are seen in front of thousands of bags containing the remains of AIDS victims. Thailand rolled out a national plan on Saturday to give life-saving drugs to people living with HIV-AIDS, one of the few Asian nations to offer universal treatment in a region where the virus threatens to run rampant. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova (R) of Canada holds the hands of a Thai Aids patient during a visit to the Buddhist Prabat Namphu Temple for HIV/Aids patients in central Lopburi province, 150 km (93 miles) northeast of Bangkok, October 4, 2005. Thailand rolled out a national plan on Saturday to give life-saving drugs to people living with HIV/Aids, one of the few Asian nations to offer universal treatment in a region where the virus threatens to run rampant. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova of Canada (L) greets Roger Federer of Switzerland after the finals of the Thailand Open tennis tournament in Bangkok October 2, 2005. Federer won 6-3 7-5. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova of Canada, right, poses with Phra Udom Prachathorn, founder of Phra Bat Nampu hospice for HIV/AIDS and sacks containing ashes of Aids victims who died at the hospice since 1992 in Lopburi province, central Thailand Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova of Canada (L) and Roger Federer of Switzerland pose with flowers after the finals of the Thailand Open tennis tournament in Bangkok October 2, 2005. Federer won 6-3 7-5. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

July 5, 2005

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A perfectly groomed Miss Universe took an AIDS test in a Johannesburg hospital on Tuesday and said she hoped her fame would persuade others to do the same.

Immaculate in a white suit, heels, low-cut top and a glittering smile, Russian-born Canadian Natalie Glebova said she wanted to use her time as the world's most famous beauty queen to raise awareness and fight stigma surrounding the pandemic.

"I think the fact that I had a public test will speak volumes," the 23-year-old motivational speaker said with a smile to cameras. "It will encourage a lot of young women to get out and get tested."

South Africa is battling the world's highest caseload of people with HIV, with more than 5 million people infected. Fear surrounding the disease is so deep that public revelation of HIV infection often leaves sufferers socially ostracised and sometimes subject to violent attack.

The country is the first stop on Glebova's global tour as an ambassador for the fight against AIDS and includes visits to clinics in city slums and rural villages.

Glebova, who said she knew little about HIV until she was crowned in May, will also visit tiny Swaziland, which has one of the world's highest HIV rates, at almost 40 percent of adults.

Patients in the Johannesburg hospital ward looked on baffled as Glebova, towering above them in crocodile-skin heels, posed for cameras while a nurse pricked her finger for the simple test.

Glebova said she was willing to go public with her status, but clinic staff said they did not have the legal right to release the results.

"Some of the nurses told me she is a beauty queen and I think it is helping people to have famous people talking about AIDS," said 29-year-old Virginia Zuma, an HIV-positive patient. "You must talk about it -- it helps you get free."

June 14, 2005

Natalie Glebova, the newly-crowned Miss Universe 2005, from Toronto, Canada, poses with 8-year-old 'Lucky' at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok. 23-year-old Glebova will spend her year-long reign traveling around the world making special appearances on behalf of the Miss Universe Organization, its sponsors and affiliated charities (AFP/HO/Miss Universe/Patrick Prather)	Natalie Glebova shows a Thai way greeting Wai with Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at a gala dinner at Government house in Bangkok Wednesday, June 1, 2005. Glebova, 23-year-old from Toronto, won the Miss Universe crown in the competition in Bangkok Tuesday (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Natalie Glebova of Canada, right, gives a Thai tourism's mascot doll 'Sukjai' or Happiness to a Thai boy at Payathai orphanage in Bangkok Thursday, June 2, 2005. Glebova won the Miss Universe crown in the competition in Bangkok Tuesday. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)	Natalie Glebova of Canada carries an orphan at Phyathai Babies' Home in Nonthaburi province, outskirt of Bangkok, Thailand, June 2, 2005. Glebova was crowned Miss Universe 2005 in Bangkok on Tuesday. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom
Natalie Glebova of Canada carries an orphan at Phyathai Babies' Home in Nonthaburi province, outskirt of Bangkok, Thailand, June 2, 2005. Glebova was crowned Miss Universe 2005 in Bangkok on Tuesday. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom	Natalie Glebova from Canada, holds a basket with mascots during a visit at the toursit ministry offices during a campaign to promote tourism in Thailand, in Bangkok, 01 June 2005. Glebova won the Miss Universe contest against 81 participants on May 31 in the Thai capital. AFP PHOTO/Pornchai KITTIWONGSAKUL
NEW YORK - JUNE 06: Miss Universe Natalie Glebova and Carson Kressley pose for a photo in the press room at the 2005 CFDA Awards at the New York Public Library June 6, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Getty Images for CFDA)	ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - JUNE 11: Miss Universe Natalie Glebova attends a special, "Donald J. Trump Birthday Quarter Million Dollar Giiveaway" celebration June 11, 2005 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Donald Kravitz/Getty Images
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - JUNE 11: Miss Universe Natalie Glebova attends a special, "Donald J. Trump Birthday Quarter Million Dollar Giiveaway" celebration June 11, 2005 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Donald Kravitz/Getty Images	Denis Davila, Director of "Beauties of Canada" received after the telecast a Preciosa Crystal Trophy for 'Best National Director of the Year', awarded by the Miss Universe Organization.

Bangkok, Thailand, May 30, 2005 - This evening, during one of the year's most exciting live television events, a star-studded panel of judges chose Natalie Glebova, Miss Canada, as MISS UNIVERSE® 2005.

The 23-year-old delegate from Toronto was crowned at the conclusion of the 54th Annual broadcast on NBC LIVE from Bangkok, Thailand. Natalie Glebova is a model and motivational speaker to grade school and high school students.

Miss Universe 2005 was chosen by an international judging panel which included: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's Carson Kressley; Executive Producer of NBC hit shows including "Friends" and "Joey," Kevin Bright; "Days of Our Lives" star, Bryan Dattilo; Vice President, Global Cosmetics and Marketing, Procter & Gamble, Anne Martin; Hair Stylist to the stars, Louis Licari; World-Renowned Chef and former Bangkok resident, Jean Georges Vongerichten; Danish Model Heidi Albertsen, Supermodel Cassie Lewis; Telemundo Latin Superstar, Mario Cimarro; Model and Former Miss Ukraine Universe, Alexandra Nikolayenko; Executive Vice President, Director, Boon Rawd Brewery Co., Ltd, Chutinant "Nidnoi" Bhirombhakdi and Miss Universe 1988 from Thailand, Porntip "Bui" Nakhirunkanok Simon. Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell and Billy Bush, hosted the worldwide event.

Throughout the two-hour event, the delegates competed in three categories, swimsuit, evening gown and interview. During these competitions the "Top Five" finalists were selected before the crowning. Jennifer Hawkins, Miss Universe 2004, crowned her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast, before an estimated worldwide viewing audience of more than 600 hundred million in over 180 countries.

First Runner Up: Miss Puerto Rico, Cynthia Olavarria will assume the duties of MISS UNIVERSE 2005 if the titleholder for some reason cannot fulfill her responsibilities. Second Runner Up: Miss Dominican Republic, Renata Sone

Rest of Top Five: Miss Mexico, Laura Elizondo; Miss Venezuela, Monica Spear

Rest of Top Ten: Miss Peru, Debora Sulca; Miss Latvia, Ieva Kokorevica; Miss Switzerland, Fiona Hefti; Miss USA, Chelsea Cooley; Miss Israel, Elena Ralph.

Sponsors of MISS UNIVERSE 2005 include Mikimoto, "Official Jewelry" sponsor, Preciosa Crystal, "Official Crystal Award;" Tadashi Fashions, "Official Fashion" sponsor; " Farouk Systems, "Official Haircare" sponsor, NINA Shoes, "Official Fashion Footwear," The School for Film and Television and CoverGirl, "Official Cosmetic" sponsor.

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA® and MISS TEEN USA® competitions, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC partnership. Utilizing its global grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing HIV/AIDS Awareness by focusing on women's health and reproductive issues. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the Global Health Council, Gods Love We Deliver and the United Nations Population Fund's Face-to-Face Campaign, Miss Universe is armed to impact women today.