Annora Bourgeault Crowned Miss World Canada 2014

Source: http://beautypageantnews.com

Annora Bourgeault was crowned Miss World Canada 2014 at the conclusion of the pageant held on May 11, 2014 in Vancouver. The beauty from Regina will represent Canada in the Miss World 2014 pageant, scheduled for this November in London, England.

Annora Bourgeault was crowned Miss World Canada 2014 at the conclusion of the pageant held on May 11, 2014 in Vancouver. The beauty from Regina will represent Canada in the Miss World 2014 pageant, scheduled for this November in London, England.

Annora Bourgeault was crowned Miss World Canada 2014 at the conclusion of the pageant held on May 11, 2014 in Vancouver. The beauty from Regina will represent Canada in the Miss World 2014 pageant, scheduled for this November in London, England.

Miss World Australia Erin Holland’s French connection

by ROZ PULLEY

SHE dazzled judges on the world stage – now our talented Miss World Australia will help choose France’s most beautiful young women. Classically trained Cairns-born opera singer, model and current Miss World Oceania, Erin Holland has been invited on to the judging panel for Miss France in June. “Every year, the Miss France organisation invites one international contestant to judge their competition, so it’s exciting they picked me out of everybody in any competitive pageant for 2013,” the 25-year-old said during a surprise Easter visit home to her parents in Freshwater. Ms Holland said the French competition differed from Australia, where the Miss World and Miss Universe contests were run separately.

“Miss France is the country’s most prestigious competition and is actually Miss Universe, Miss World and any other pageant all in one,” she said. It is the latest international jaunt for the busy Sydney-based model and entertainer, whose blonde good looks, easy manner and elegance took her into the top 10 against 130 nations and gave her a global audience of 2.3 billion while singing a trio from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro with Miss World 2012 and Miss World Indonesia 2013. She has since sung at fundraisers in the US and China, promoted Australia as an education destination in India and Nepal, starred on Channel 9’s Carols by Candlelight and darts around Australia on an almost daily basis for her charity, modelling and singing commitments.

Colombe Akiwacu Crowned Miss World Rwanda 2014

Colombe Akiwacu was crowned Miss Rwanda 2014 at the conclusion of the pageant held on February 22 2014 at the Petit Stade in the capital Kigali. The 20-year-old student from the Eastern Province stands 1.75 m. Colombe will represent Rwanda for the first time ever in the Miss World 2014 pageant, scheduled for November in London, England.

Miss World Pageant Brews Culture Clash Behind the Scenes

Daniela Álvarez Crowned Miss World Mexico 2014

Daniela Álvarez was crowned Miss World Mexico 2014 on October 17th, 2013 during an event held at the Toluca International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional de Toluca). The beauty representing Morelos is 19 years old and stands 1.74 m. She will represent Mexico in the Miss World 2014 pageant, scheduled for October 1014 in London. Earlier, Daniela won the Miss Talent Award.

Miss World Megan Young Talks About The Pageant’s Controversy And Representing Philippines

By Riza Ornos 

Newly crowned Miss World Megan Young was spotted in London while touring around the city as she took pictures of some of London's hot spots including the Buckingham Palace, Thames, Lyceum Theater and the Big Ben. But one important stop of her tour on October 4 is BBC's Impact studio where she talks about the pageant's controversy and how it feels like to be flying the flag of the Philippines.

Mishal Husain, BBC's Impact host asked Young what it feels like when her name was called as the the new Miss World:

"It was surreal actually, because I was already preparing myself that oh maybe I won't I get it. So i was preparing myself because I just want to have that acceptance that if I win it then it'll be spectacular, if I don't then it's fine with me. I want to be a good sport that night," the 23-year old Miss Philippines revealed.

Young is the first Filipina to win the elusive Miss World crown and her victory inspires a lot of Filipinos that even after a week of winning the crown she is still the talk of the town.

"It's heart warming for me, because we've had a lot of issues going on for the past month back home with the tragedies that have been happening and for me to be that spark of hope and inspiration back home, for me to be being able to uplift the spirits of my fellow Filipinos is an honor."

Before joining the prestigous beauty contest, Young thinks that pageants such as Miss World is superficial and did not see that essence of her joining such pageant. Until she got to know the Miss World's main focus which is "Beauty With A Purpose," a charity that reach out to the people and to the less previledge.

When asked what she can do to help her country Philippines, the new Miss World thinks that starting small is the way to make a solid impact.

"It's great to start small because you have that foundation of getting to where you wanna be and I think I rather start small in helping, encourage people and putting that hope that there's tomorrow and they dont have to suffer and they don't have to think negatively its always that positve outlook that gets people to evolve," Young quipped.

Host Mishal Husain also tells Megan that she will be a part of BBC's #100 Women, a new season programming that highlights on women's lives around the world that will feature more on women's voices and stories. Husain also pointed out about the equal rights of men and women in the Philippines where she asked Young how it feels like growing up in the Philippines as a young woman.

"One thing  I can assure you is that I did not feel that there was a difference between.. you know that there is superior between men and women, and I find that really great because you know were based, were actually they make us grow in a way that its based on skill, if you can do semething, if you can show people that you're  capable of doing something then you'll succeed in life its not about who you are, like your a man or a woman or you have a different preferences in life or you know if you live a certain way in life it about how you can achieve things," Young adds.

10 Things You Don’t Know About Miss World 2013 Pageant

By Riza Ornos |

Known as the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant, Miss World was held for the first time in 1951 and since then many exciting things had happened that shaped the international beauty contest into what it is today.

The latest Miss World competition was held for the first in Southeast Asia, and was concluded in Bali, Indonesia. Here are the 10 interesting facts about Miss World 2013.

1. Miss Philippines Megan Young is the first Filipina to win the elusive Miss World Crown, after her victory she vowed to be the best Miss World ever. Thanks to Cory Quirino, the woman behind Miss World Philippines, she managed to win the highest place in the pageant after three years of being the head and one of the most successful franchise holders in pageantry.

2. England, Indonesia, Spain and Philippines are the 4 countries that are placed in Miss World pageants for 3 consecutve years (2011-2013).

In 2011; Miss World Indonesia Astrid Ellena and Miss World Spain Carla Garcia are one of the semifinalist, Miss World England was Top 7 and Miss World Philippines Gwendoline Ruais was the first runner-up.

In 2012; Miss World Spain Aránzazu Estévez, Miss World England Charlotte Holmes, Miss World Indonesia Ines Putri Tjiptadi Chandra and Miss World Philippines Queenierich Rehman were in top 15.

In 2013; Miss World Indonesia Vania Larissa and Miss World England Kirsty Heslewood were in top 10, Miss World Spain Elena Ibarbia was in top 6 and finally Miss World Philippines Megan Young won the crown.

3. Ghana consistenly shows that their candidates can compete with the world beauties when 2013 Miss World Ghana Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter got the second runner-up and was on the Top 6 of Miss World pageant.

4. Miss Word France Marine Lorphelin gave France their best placement since 1998 when she won first runner-up in the pageant. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first French woman to have won the Miss World Title, 1953 Miss World Denise Perrier.

5. Brazilian beauty Miss World Brazil Scancler Frantz falls short in the competition and did not make it to the Top 3 of the pageant. An ironic twist of fate when Frantz and Hollywood superstar Halle Berry met in Rio de Janeiro on April 11, and just like "X-Men" star both of them finished as finalists (Berry was former Miss World 1986 finalist).

6. The use of Balinese Sandalwood Fan in Miss World 2013 has raised a lot of quentions. Instead of flowers beauty queen is given sandalwood fan or kipas cendana which is believed to be distinctively Balinese as it gives sandalwood scent when one uses it. The main symbolism of the fan is the unity of different cultures all united in Indonesia in one purpose, which reflects Miss World's Unity in Diversity.

7. The second best performance of Gibraltar at Miss World History, Miss World Gibraltar Maroua Kharbouch was hailed as the People's Choice winner, and thanks to her fans she went straight into the Top 6 even when she was excluded from the Top 20.

8. Slovakia was placed for first time in the Top 20 of Miss World, thanks to 2013 Miss World Slovakia Karolina Chomistekova.

9. Nepal and Indonesia was placed for the first time in the Top 10 of Miss World pageant.

10.The 2013 Miss World pageant has a record number of 127 delegates.

BBC World TV: Miss World talks about controversies

Miss World pageant 2013: Miss Philippines Megan Young crowned in heavily-guarded 63rd annual event in Bali

BALI, Indonesia -- Miss Philippines, Megan Young, was crowned Miss World on Saturday amid tight security on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, where the contest's final round was moved following protests by Muslim hardliner groups.

"I promise to be the best Miss World ever," Young, 23, said after winning the 63rd annual event, as a large number of Filipino fans who traveled with her celebrated by jumping and waving the country's flag. Despite threats from the Islamic Defenders Front to disrupt the contest, police said no rallies were staged Saturday.

The group has demonstrated for weeks, calling for the government to cancel the pageant because members say it shows too much skin and goes against Islamic teachings. The 127 contestants vying for the crown were introduced Saturday wearing evening gowns shimmering in sequins, many of them with plunging necklines and slits up the leg.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/philippines-megan-young-crowned-world-2013-article-1.1470428#ixzz2gNHS6FC4

Miss World opens in Indonesia after protests

BALI, Indonesia (AP) — The 63rd edition of the Miss World pageant opened Sunday after protests by Muslim hard-liners confined the event to Indonesia's predominantly Hindu resort island of Bali.

The opening ceremony, which was televised to 186 countries, featured Bali's Kecak dance and a parade of all 131 contestants. Following days of protests by Indonesian hard-line Muslim groups and the rejection of the contest by a leading clerics' organization, the government announced Saturday that it was moving the Sept. 28 final round to Bali. It was initially set to be held in Sentul, on the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta.

Bali is the only Hindu-dominated province in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country. Controversy over the pageant has been mounting in Indonesia, which has a reputation as a tolerant, pluralist society that respects freedom of expression.

The Indonesia Ulema Council, the country's most influential clerics' organization, and the hard-line groups Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia and Front for Islamic Defenders have urged the government to cancel the event. They have argued that the exposure of skin by women in a competition violates Muslim teachings, even after organizers agreed to cut the bikini competition and instead outfit contestants in more conservative sarongs. The chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, Julia Morley, has promised that none of the contestants will wear a bikini. The pageant began in the 1950s, and the first winner was crowned in a two-piece bathing suit.

"We only want to try to find the best way of working together," Morley told a news conference Saturday in Bali. Most Muslims in Indonesia, a secular country of 240 million people, are moderate, but a small extremist fringe has become more vocal in recent years. Lady Gaga was forced to cancel her sold-out concert in Indonesia in May following threats by Islamic hard-liners who called her a "devil worshipper." Jennifer Lopez toned down her sexy outfits and dance moves during a show in Jakarta last December.

Miss World Cancelled?

Miss World Cancelled? Indonesian Clerics Protest Beauty Pageant On Religious Grounds
By NINIEK KARMINI, AP

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- One of Indonesia's most influential Islamic groups is urging the government to cancel the Miss World pageant scheduled for next month, saying the exposure of skin by women in a competition violates Muslim teachings, an official said Monday.

A top-level meeting of clerics was held earlier this month by the Indonesian Ulema Council to respond to protests from some groups over Indonesia's hosting of the event, even after organizers agreed to cut the bikini competition and instead outfit contestants in more conservative sarongs, council chairman Amidan Shaberah said.

"Our position is clear, we reject Indonesia being the host of Miss World," Shaberah said. "Because exposing their bodies in a contest is against Islamic teachings."

The council is an influential Islamic body that often issues fatwas, or edicts, including controversial rulings against smoking and yoga. Though not legally binding, many devoted Muslims follow such decrees because ignoring them is considered a sin.

Shaberah said the council will not officially demand that the government cancel the event, but will instead recommend that it be stopped. The pageant is scheduled to be held partly on the resort island of Bali, with the final round on Sept. 28 near the capital, Jakarta.

"We are not Sharia police, we are not law enforcers," Shaberah said, referring to authorities who enforce Islamic law. "But we suggest the government cancel it."

Adjie S. Soeratmadjie of RCTI, the official broadcaster and local organizer of the event, said the concerns were being heard and that some adjustments were being made to make the pageant more appropriate for Indonesian culture and more like other beauty contests held in the country.

"We understand the position" of the council, Soeratmadjie said. "But the show must go on ... we call on the protesters to avoid anarchy and we are sure authorities can maintain security."

He added that Miss Israel had dropped out of the competition, but declined to give the reason. Indonesia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations.

Last week, the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front pledged to stage protests across the country to prevent Indonesia from hosting the competition.

"The Miss World pageant is only an excuse to exhibit women's body parts," said its leader, Riziek Shihab. "We are obliged to disband it if the government allows it to be held in any region of Indonesia."

The front has a long record of vandalizing nightspots, hurling stones at Western embassies and attacking rival religious groups. Lady Gaga was forced to cancel her sold-out Indonesia show last year after threats from the group, which branded her a "devil worshipper."

The chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, Julia Morley, earlier confirmed that none of the contestants would wear a bikini.

The pageant began in the 1950s, and the first winner was crowned in a two-piece bathing suit.

Most Muslims in Indonesia, a secular country of 240 million people and the world's most populous Islamic country, are moderate, but a small extremist fringe has become more vocal in recent years.