For the first time in its history, the international Miss World beauty pageant will be hosted in the UAE.
This news was announced on Monday 13th February that the 71st edition of the pageant would be taking place in the UAE – and will be the first time it's been held since Nepal-born British businessman Deependra Gurung became the company's new co-owner.
Julia Morley, Miss World Limited’s chairperson, took to Instagram to announce the decision to host Miss World in the UAE, and just how delighted she is that it would be happening there. "Further details to follow," she captioned her post, referring to an announcement of the date and venue for the pageant.
The previous Miss World beauty pageant was hosted in Puerto Rico in March 2022, where Polish contestant, Karolina Bielawska was titled Miss World 2021, beating runners up Miss USA Shree Saini, and Ivory Coast's Olivia Yace. Bielawska made history by becoming only the second Polish beauty queen to win the title.
The annual international beauty pageant had been postponed since December 2021 following a Covid-19 outbreak among contestants and crew members. Contestants from 98 countries had participated in Miss World 2021, including Khadija Omar - Somalia's first hijabi candidate.
Miss World was first launched in 1951 by Eric Morley, who became known as "Mr World″ after he founded the famed beauty pageant. It was originally launched in the UK and is the oldest-running beauty pageant. Eric Morley died in 2000, and his widow, Julia, has since co-chaired the event. Gurung had acquired the business in November 2022.
The requirements of the competition as that the contestants are unmarried and childless, must be aged between 17 and 27 and be a resident or national of the country they represent. The UAE doesn’t yet have a candidate for the pageant, although the country has participated in the Mrs World pageant in the past. Debanjali Kamstra became the first Mrs UAE World beauty queen in 2021, when she came in third.
