Miss USA Rima Fakih receives to key to city. Photo: Nafeh AbuNab

DEARBORN — Reigning 2010 Miss USA Rima Fakih was back in her hometown of Dearborn for the first time since winning the crown in May on the morning of Saturday, July 10 at a special homecoming ceremony at the Ford Performing Arts Center in celebration of her victory.

Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly proclaimed Saturday to be “Rima Fakih Day” in front of about 150 attendees while also presenting Fakih with a key to the city.

“Today is an extraordinary day for us, Rima brings an extraordinary presence to the city,” he said while highlighting her recent charity work for The Pink Fund for breast cancer victims among other initiatives.

He also unveiled a new design to be added to signs welcoming visitors to the city featuring the words “Home of Rima Fakih, Miss USA 2010” under the classic design.

“And we are soon to be the only city in the world that’s home to Miss Universe,” O’Reilly added, referring to the August 23 competition in Las Vegas that Fakih will participate in.

“I told my mom (Nadia) my name would be on the sign one day and I did it,” Fakih said.

Fakih was also honored by state State Senator Irma Clark-Coleman of Detroit and a representative from the office of Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano.

After the ceremony and posing for pictures with attendees, Fakih held a celebratory luncheon at La Pita featuring local dignitaries, friends, and family before heading out to the Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins baseball game to throw out the game’s first pitch.

Her post-Miss USA pageant itinerary has included places as diverse as New York, where she currently lives while preparing for Miss Universe, Houston, the African nation of Rwanda, and China.

But she said that Dearborn still holds a special place in her heart and that the city should cherish its unique qualities.

“I’ve been all over the world and I don’t see what we have here in Dearborn, we should all be proud and we should never forget where we came from,” she said.