For the first time in the history of the Miss World International pageant, it will be held in the UAE.
Announced on Monday, February 13, the 71st edition of the pageant will be held in the UAE – the first time since Nepal-born British businessman Deependra Gurung became the company’s new co-owner.
Miss World Limited Chairperson Julia Morley announced the decision to host Miss World in the UAE on Instagram and said she was delighted with the competition that will be held in the UAE. “More details to come,” she wrote in the post, referring to the announcement of the pageant’s date and location.
The last Miss World pageant was held in Puerto Rico in March 2022, with Poland’s Karolina Bielawska beating Miss USA Shree Saini and Ivory Coast’s Ollie Olivia Yace was the runner-up and crowned Miss World 2021. Bielawska became the second Polish beauty queen in history to win the title.
The annual international beauty pageant has been postponed since December 2021 following the outbreak of Covid-19 among contestants and staff. Contestants from 98 countries took part in the Miss World 2021 pageant, including Khadija Omar, Somalia’s first hijab candidate.
Miss World was first launched in 1951 by Eric Morley, who became known as “Mr. World” after creating the famous beauty pageant. Originally launched in the UK, it is the oldest beauty pageant. Eric Morley passed away in 2000, and his widow Julia has since co-chaired the event. Gurung acquired the company in November 2022.
The competition requires contestants to be unmarried and have no children, be between the ages of 17 and 27, and be residents or nationals of the country they represent. The UAE currently has no beauty pageant candidates, although the country has participated in the Mrs. World pageant in the past. Debanjali Kamstra will become the first UAE lady world beauty queen in 2021, when she came in third.