The executive chair of the contest, Li Yunxuan, gives a speech at the news conference. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 20th session of "Mrs. Globe", an internationally renowned beauty contest for married women, kicked off in Beijing Friday, putting the unique "culture of Mrs" on the spot.

With of its focus on "beauty, smart, love and success", the annual contest was first organized in California, in 1996 and first held in China in 2013. More than 300,000 contestants from more than 60 countries and regions have participated in the event during the past 19 years, including US, France, Russia and China.

As the fourth session gets under way in China, this year's event is themed "filial hearts going with beauty", focusing on care for the elderly, a universal philanthropic value. More sub-contest spots will be held this year, with more diverse cultural activities to be expected, such as forums, lectures, charity tour shows, charity banquet etc.

The final contest for China will be held in November while the global finals will hit the public in December.

"With so much support from our partners and sponsors, this year's contest will reach a new height, benefiting more women," said the executive chair of the event, Li Yunxuan.

Apart from the contests, a series of projects for elderly care will be launched, including a platform where the senior citizens can get more direct help.

"Real beauty comes from a loving and charitable heart and the charm of humanity," said Gong Hua, the top winner of the Mr. Globe in China area and second winner in the world in 2015, who also attended the opening ceremony and gave a speech as a representative.