Miss Earth
 | This article contains promotional content. (December 2007) |
Miss Earth is an annual international female beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. Established in 2001, the Miss Earth pageant is recognized as the third largest beauty contest in the world (following Miss World and Miss Universe contests). The reigning titleholders dedicate their year to promote the event to address issues concerning the environment.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
History
Carousel Productions Inc. organized and launched the first Miss Earth beauty pageant in 2001. It was intended to actively promote the preservation of the environment.[7]
The organizer previously produced the Miss Asia-Pacific pageant but lost those rights.[citation needed]
Those who participate in the pageant are involved with environmental causes. The pageant winner is expected to become involved with international environmental projects. These projects are promoted during the pageant's broadcast. The delegates also take part in tree planting ceremonies, environmental and cultural immersion programs, sponsor visits and tours.
The Miss Earth pageant has grown, with an increasing number of countries participating. The number of national Miss Earth pageants has grown on every continent as well.[citation needed]
In 2006, the host country Chile failed to meet the requirements of the host committee, but the pageant was moved to The Philippines.[citation needed]
The Miss Earth winner is the spokesperson for the Miss Earth Foundation, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other environmental groups.
Pageant System
Since the Miss Earth pageant has an environmental cause, it is primarily looking for young women who will stand for the protection and preservation of the planet. These women are pageant winners or chosen by national Miss Earth directors from different nations.[8]
On national level competitions, the Miss Earth's cause is carried out to assure that each of the participating candidates are not just physically beautiful, but environmentally knowledgeable. As soon as the national winners are chosen, they will be subject to evaluation by the pageant organizer.
During the pre-finals weeks, the candidates are evaluated on each activity and event they have. Preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competitions also take place, and a panel interview where the candidates speak of their environmental platform and personal thoughts.
As soon as the preliminary activities are completed, the judges and the executive staff will select sixteen candidates who will comprise the group of semi-finalists.
During the live finals, the sixteen (16) semi-finalists will be announced. All previous scores will be disregarded and thereafter compete in the swimsuit round. The top eight (8) scorers in swimsuit will move on the next level of competition. The final eight (8) portion will have interview and evening gown competition components. The scores from these two (2) events will be averaged and the four (4) highest scorers will continue with the last competition - the final interview.
In the final interview, all four finalists will answer one environmental question, the candidates will be assessed based on the judges over-all impression on the candidate to determine the final ranking.
If in case the Miss Earth winner can no longer fulfill her duties and obligations as titleholder, the 1st runner-up will assume. .[9]
Awards and titles
The winner of the pageant is bestowed the title Miss Earth; her runner ups are also given titles named after the other natural elements: Miss Fire (equivalent to third runner-up), Miss Water (second runner-up), and Miss Air (first runner-up). Miss Earth is the only one of the "Big Four" pageants which have individual titles for the runners-up.
Since it began the pageant has been held in October or November, in Manila, Philippines and televised nationwide via ABS-CBN with international telecasts in more than 80 countries via STAR TV, and The Filipino Channel.[10][11]
Miss Earth Crown
The Miss Earth crown is designed and created by Arnel Papa.
The crown's frame is made up of sterling silver while clear Swarovski and pearls compose the embellishments. Red and blue Swarovski pearls are additional ornaments.
Leaves and flowers are the concept of the crown's design.[citation needed]
Delegates
In the early years of Miss Earth, some delegates were taken from national talent agencies in their respective countries that managed to get franchise agreement with the organizer. These agencies sent delegates who were national and international pageant runner-ups/winners, and professional models without going to compete in national pageant dedicated to its environmental cause.
In 2005 up to present the pageant managed to set standards and asked most countries to select their delegates by a national pageant or if not should qualify by means of not violating and misrepresenting their respective countries. Currently, all delegates are required to have an environmental platform prior to participating Miss Earth.
Miss Earth gained worldwide press in 2003 after Vida Samadzai, an Afghan woman now residing in the United States, competed in a red bikini. Samadzai was the first Afghan woman to compete in an international beauty pageant in almost three decades, but the fact that she wore a bikini caused an uproar in her Islamic native country. She later became Ms. America 2005-06.
Miss Earth also made headlines all over the world in 2005 when a Pakistani beauty queen, Naomi Zaman, a Miss Pakistan World winner participated for the fist time. She is the first Pakistani who competed in any international pageants. The whole idea of beauty pageants is frowned upon in Pakistan which caused quite an uproar in the native country.[12]
Likewise, Miss Earth Tibet 2006, Tsering Chungtak, the first Tibetan who represented Tibet in any major international beauty pageants created worldwide publicities for its beauty cause, and also drew criticisms from some prominent figures in Tibet. However, her participation received an approval from the Dalai Lama[13]
In 2007, Carousel Productions licensed Miss Cuba Organization to select through worldwide search of the first Cuban representative to Miss Earth. Ariana Barouk won and became the first Miss Cuba in several decades and competed at the Miss Earth Pageant in which she drew mixed reactions and global publicity from the press.[14]
Location
The pageant has been held in the Philippines every year since 2001. Miss Earth 2006 was scheduled to be held in Santiago, Chile on November 15, but organizational and funding problems forced the pageant to move back to the Philippines.
The 7th Miss Earth Pageant was held at the University of the Philippines Theater in Manila on November 11, 2007. Prior to the finals night, the candidates were toured to various destinations in the Philippines and Vietnam. Twenty-two year-old Jessica Nicole Trisko of Canada beat 87 other candidates.
Titleholders
| Year | Miss Earth | Country | Finals Night Venue | Host Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Catharina Svensson |  Denmark
|
Quezon City | Philippines |
| 2002 | Džejla Glavović (Dethroned) |  Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Manila | Philippines |
| Winfred Adah Omwakwe |  Kenya
| |||
| 2003 | Dania Patricia Prince Méndez |  Honduras
|
Quezon City | Philippines |
| 2004 | Priscilla Meirelles de Almeida |  Brazil
|
Quezon City | Philippines |
| 2005 | Alexandra Braun Waldeck |  Venezuela
|
Quezon City | Philippines |
| 2006 | Hil Yesenia Hernández |  Chile
|
Manila | Philippines |
| 2007 | Jessica Trisko |  Canada
|
Quezon City | Vietnam - Philippines |
Tally
Anyone who follows the Olympic Games or other sporting events will be familiar with the concept of the Medal Table, which ranks countries based on their first (gold), second (silver) and third (bronze) place finishes. Here is a similar table of the top rankings for the Miss Earth pageant, based on all results from the first event to the most recent event.
| Rank | Country | Miss Earth | Miss Air | Miss Water | Miss Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil
|
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 |  Venezuela
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Canada, Chile, Denmark, Honduras, Kenya
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 |  India
|
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 |  Dominican Republic, Martinique
|
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 |  Poland  Serbia
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 |  Tahiti  Philippines Kazakhstan Costa Rica
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 |  Argentina, Greece, Paraguay, Spain
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Winning years for each country
| Country | Title(s) | Winning year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil
|
1 | 2004 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
1 | 2002* |
| Canada
|
1 | 2007 |
| Chile
|
1 | 2006 |
| Denmark
|
1 | 2001 |
| Honduras
|
1 | 2003 |
| Kenya
|
1 | 2002 |
| Venezuela
|
1 | 2005 |
Best performances by continental regions
As of 2007
| REGION | Best performance |
|---|---|
| South America | 3 titles won by Brazil (1), Chile (1) and Venezuela (1) |
| Europe | 2 titles won by Denmark (1) and Bosnia & Herzegovina* (1) |
| Africa | 1 title(s) won by Kenya (1) |
| Central America & the Caribbean | 1 title(s) won by Honduras (1) |
| North America | 1 title(s) won by Canada |
| Asia & Oceana | 0 title(s) |
* In 2002, Bosnia & Herzegovina's Džejla Glavović won the Miss Earth crown in the Philippines. However, she was dethroned a few months later by the Miss Earth Organization for not fulfilling the duties stipulated in her contract. First runner-up, Kenya's Winnie Adah Omwakwe continued the responsibilities as Miss Earth 2002.
Other Relevant Information
- Miss Earth is the only international pageant that selects the semi-finalists through a panel interview, where the candidates are not wearing any "make-up" e.g. lipstick, facial/eye make-up, powder, and etc.[citation needed]
- In 2007 edition two (2) countries hosted the pageant. Vietnam co-hosted some of the pageant activities; other activities up to the finals were done in its home base, the Philippines.
- In the history of the "Big Four Pageants", only one woman has competed at all four pageants. She is Cynthia Kanema of Zambia who competed at Miss World 2003, Miss International 2004, Miss Universe 2005, and Miss Earth 2005. She was unplaced at all four pageants.[15]
- Miss Cuba 2007, Ariana Barouk, earned the distinction of being the first Cuban representative, in any international pageant, in 64 years, who won Miss Cuba by beauty competition and not by appointment[citation needed]. Ariana later competed in Miss Earth 2007 edition. Cuba last participated in Miss Universe in 1967 [16] and Miss World in 1975 [17], both by appointment.
- Denmark won its first major beauty title in history when Catharina Svensson won Miss Earth in 2001.[citation needed]
- Dzejla Glavović is the first woman from Bosnia & Herzegovina to win a major beauty title for her country. She is also the first Miss Earth to be dethroned, for failing to fulfill her duties.[citation needed]
- Kenya also claimed its first major title when Winnie Adah Omwakwe assumed the position of Miss Earth 2002.She's the first Black to have the said title and also the first Miss Earth from Africa.[citation needed]
- Miss Earth 2003, Dania Prince Mendez from Honduras competed in Miss Universe 1998. She was unplaced.
- Miss Afghanistan 2003 Vida Samadzai was the first candidate of Miss Earth to win the special award Beauty for a Cause. She helped in establishing a US-based women's charity that seeks to raise awareness of women's rights and education in the Afghanistan. Miss South Africa, Montjane was the second candidate to win the special award.[citation needed]
- When Priscilla Meirelles won the title in 2004, Brazil became the first country to have a winner in all four major international pageants. The following year, Alexandra Braun completed the grand slam for Venezuela.[18]
- Miss Earth 2004 Priscilla Meirelles was the first Miss Earth Winner to host the Miss Earth Competition in 2006 and 2007.[citation needed]
- A delegate from the Philippines has made the semi-finals every year except in 2007.[citation needed]
Awards
- Venezuela has the most Best in Swimsuit awards: Alexandra Braun in 2005, Marianne Puglia in 2006 and Silvana Santaella in 2007.
- Korea has the most Best National Costume awards: Jin-Ah Lee in 2002 and Hie Mi Yoo in 2005.
- Bosnia & Herzegovina has the most Miss Talent awards: Džejla Glavović in 2002 and Mirela Bulbulija in 2004.
- Only one Miss Friendship has gone on place in the pageant: Amale Al Khoder (Lebanon, 2007).
- Only one Miss Earth winner was awarded Miss Talent: Džejla Glavović (Bosnia & Herzegovina, 2002).
- Only one Miss Earth winner was awarded Miss Photogenic: Priscilla Meirelles (Brazil, 2004).
- Miss Venezuela Silvana Santaella won 4 awards: Best In Evening Gown, Best in Swimsuit, Miss Psalmstre Placenta and Gandang Ricky Reyes Award.
See also
External links
References
- ^ ABC News
- ^ The Jakarta Post
- ^ Global Beauties 2007
- ^ Grandslam Pageants, 2007
- ^ The Bahamas Weekly
- ^ Pakistan Christian Post
- ^ Miss Earth, 2007
- ^ Miss Earth, 2007
- ^ Grandslam Pageants, 2007
- ^ Pageant Almanac
- ^ ABS-CBN News 2007
- ^ Miss Canada Pakistan
- ^ CS Monitor, 2006
- ^ Grandslam Beauties
- ^ Pageant Almanac
- ^ Pageantopolis
- ^ Pageantopolis
- ^ Pageant Almanac