Miss World will be held in the UAE for the first time, marking the organization’s first foray into the Middle East. It will be held in the UAE for the first time since Nepalese-born British businessman Deependra Gurung became the company’s new co-owner. Miss World Limited chairperson Julia Morley made the announcement on Instagram, saying she is “delighted” with the decision to host the 71st beauty pageant in the Emirates, adding, “Further details to follow,” referring to the pageant’s date and location.
Miss World was launched in 1951 by Eric Morley, who became known as “Mr World″ after he founded the famed beauty pageant.The competition was created in the UK and is the oldest-running international beauty pageant. Since his death in 2000, Morley’s widow, Julia, has co-chaired the event. Gurung bought into the business in November.
To enter, contestants must be unmarried and childless, between the ages of 17 and 27 and be a resident of the country they represent. The UAE has yet to send a delegate to the competition, despite having previously competed in the Mrs World pageant, with Debanjali Kamstra becoming the first Mrs UAE World beauty queen in 2021, finishing third.
The most recent pageant was held in March of last year in Puerto Rico, where Polish beauty queen Karolina Bielawska was crowned Miss World 2021, defeating Miss USA Shree Saini and Ivory Coast’s Olivia Yace, who was the favourite to win. Bielawska is only the second Polish beauty queen to have won the title.
After a Covid-19 outbreak among contestants and crew, the competition was postponed until December 2021. Before Bielawska, the title was held Miss Jamaica World 2019, Toni-Ann Singh’s reign as the longest titleholder in history was extended after the annual beauty pageant was postponed for the second year due to Covid-19.
