Miss International pageant revamps format to highlight delegates' 'human side'

The Miss International pageant’s decision to scrap the onstage swimsuit parade again is just one of the changes aimed at giving more emphasis on the delegates’ non-physical attributes, an executive of the global tilt revealed.

Many pageant fans expressed their strong reactions to the development when it was revealed. But as it turns out, it was just a part of the overall revamp of the Miss International competition format.

“In advanced societies such as here in Japan, a lot of groups from the academic and business sectors are not comfortable or amenable with the idea of ranking women based on physical attributes such as beauty and body,” Miss International Executive Director Stephen Diaz told Inquirer Entertainment.

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“We need to highlight the social works and intelligence of these women in order to convince [the people] that Miss International winners are not just beautiful but actually smart and kind women who serve many people for the greater good,” he added.

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To do this, Diaz said the Miss International pageant will put less emphasis on the swimsuit and evening gown rounds, and give more weight to segments where the delegates can share about the works they have been doing in their respective countries in relation to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

“Our pageant has failed to highlight the human side of these young ladies if we stay with the traditional format of ranking them based on what they wear, or how they walk, etc.,” he said.

For the 64th edition of the Miss International pageant happening in Tokyo, Japan, in November, the competition will focus less on the gowns, and will have more opportunity for the delegates to speak.

The preliminary evaluation will also employ different sets of judges for each of the competition rounds. “Each category will have different experts evaluating them. That means each is independent of the other so there will be no overlapping of good scores if someone is already a favorite by one evaluator in a certain category,” Diaz said.

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He explained that the organization will evaluate the delegates in “interview, SDGs project, attitude during the quarantine (lock-in period), health and fitness, and elegance and poise.”

Diaz shared that the Final Gala will have the delegates parade in their national costumes and evening gowns. After a round of elimination, the qualifiers will compete in a series of interview and speech rounds.

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He also explained that the Final Gala will not have a swimsuit round because the “health and fitness” category is already part of the preliminary evaluation. The swuimsuit parade was also scrapped at the Final Gala in the 2023 edition.

Diaz said that in lieu of the swimsuit segment, the program will have a Zumba dance portion “where delegates will perform in sports wear and sneakers, not heels.”

In highlighting the delegates’ intelligence and inner beauty, Diaz hopes that the Miss International pageant will be able to step away from the fans’ impression of it as a competition for “Barbie” girls.

“These women are actually very intelligent! [Reigning queen] Catalina Duque has published her own children’s book, traveled all over Colombia to do social work despite the geographical challenges of her native land,” he said.

“Her first runner-up Yollanda Chimbarami of Zimbabwe is an economist who travels back and forth to Zimbabwe and Canada for her work! There are many to mention. But unfortunately, we as an organization have failed to highlight these great attributes of our delegates,” Diaz continued.

He said he is confident that this year’s competition will also see accomplished and empowered women with “beautiful minds and kind hearts” as in the previous editions.

“We are not looking for a social media influencer. We are looking for a future president or prime minister of her country. And to those who do not win, we want the whole Miss International experience be something that they can be proud of regardless of the results,” Diaz said.

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The 64th Miss International Final Gala will take place at the Tokyo Dome City Hall on Nov. 25. Duque will relinquish her title to her successor at the end of the competition. /ra