COTONOU, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The 2016 edition of the pan-African beauty pageant "Miss Naiades" will be held on November 12 in Benin's economic capital Cotonou, organizers said on Saturday.

The contest is purposed to "develop cultural exchanges between African peoples", the event promoter Eustache Mekinda said.

"This pan-African beauty pageant is purposed to enhance African culture, to foster African integration through beauty as well as to enhance African beauty so as to ensure a balanced and harmonious development", he said.

Mekinda added the contest was established since 2000 and offers young ladies rapid advancement tools for their effective contribution to cultural, social and economic development of their individual countries. Enditem