71st Miss World pageant to take place in India after previously announcing UAE as host country
Miss World 2021 Karolina Bielawska. Image: Instagram/@missworld
In an unprecedented move, the Miss World Organization (MWO) announced that the 71st Miss World pageant will take place in India, months after confirming that the United Arab Emirates would be the host country.
MWO chairperson and CEO Julia Morley announced back in February that the upcoming pageant would be held in the United Arab Emirates. However, it has since shifted to India on Thursday, June 8, without citing the exact reason for the sudden change.
“The Miss World Organization is pleased to announce that India has been chosen as the host country for the highly anticipated 71st Miss World 2023 pageant. The decision to award India with this prestigious honor recognizes the nation’s rich cultural heritage, its commitment to promoting diversity, and its passion for empowering women,” Miss World’s Facebook post read.
The MWO then spoke about the theme of the upcoming pageant which would be held around “November or December 2023,” focusing on promoting “charitable causes.”
“India’s vibrant traditions, culture, and history make it a global beauty and fashion powerhouse, with captivating landscapes, iconic landmarks, and warm hospitality,” the post read. “Renowned Bollywood names from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Priyanka Chopra to Yukta Mukhey, India has many beautiful women who have won world-level pageants.”
In a statement, Morley said the MWO will join forces with Dubai-based entertainment firm PME Entertainment to produce a “Miss World Festival” featuring “130 national champions,” although further details are yet to be disclosed, as of this writing.
“(The) 71st Miss World 2023 will showcase the Achievements of 130 National champions in their one month journey across ‘Incredible India’ as we present the 71st and most spectacular Miss World final ever,” she added.
The upcoming pageant is expected to feature 130 candidates from different parts of the world to compete for the title, where they would participate in “talent showcases, sports challenges, and charitable initiatives” prior to the coronation night.
“Contestants from over 130 countries will gather in India to showcase their unique talents, intelligence, and compassion… There will be several rounds to shortlist participants taking over a period of one month before the grand finale scheduled in November/ December 2023,” the MWO said.
Gwendolyne Fourniol will represent the Philippines in the upcoming global tilt, where she’s set to vie for the country’s second crown after Megan Young in 2013.
Poland’s Karolina Bielawska is the reigning titleholder who was crowned in 2021, and is set to crown her successor at the end of the event. It can be noted that she was supposed to relinquish her title in 2022, but the organization chose to not host a pageant due to undisclosed reasons. EDV
