DUBAI: The UAE is set to host its first Miss Universe event in November, organizers announced on Thursday during a press conference at the Armani Hotel in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
The US-founded beauty pageant, which takes place in countries around the world, including in Canada, France and South Africa, will be held at La Perle in Dubai’s Al Habtoor City.
During the conference, the committee said that participants need to be UAE residents between the age of 18 and 28. Contestants can register from Oct. 7.
The casting call for the selected applicants will be on Oct. 15. Thirty models, announced on Oct. 20, will be selected to advance to the live show. The coronation night will take place on Nov. 7.
The official winner of the UAE edition will advance to the international Miss Universe competition in December.
The committee includes founder and chief executive of Dubai’s Yugen Events, Josh Yugen, Dubai-based fashion designer, Furne Amato, former British-Filipino beauty queen, Maggie Wilson, philanthropist, Alaf Meky, humanitarian Zel Ali, and general manager of Emaar, Sharihan Al-Mashary.
“Its going to have an extremely diverse set of women coming in to the casting,” Al-Mashary, who is Emirati, told guests at the conference. “For us, anyone who lives here is part of our identity, and thus Miss Universe UAE is open to every resident and national.”
To adhere to the region’s culture, organizers have decided to eliminate the swimwear segment. The event will feature contestants giving a personal statement, and displays of couture activewear and evening gowns.
Meanwhile, Wilson, the British-Filipino beauty queen, told the guests: “Pageants have changed so much since the 15 years of when I first joined. There is so much more diversity in the women that are joining.”
“Back in my day we always had a mold of what a queen should look like . . . that’s changing now. If you look at the winners in Miss Universe for the past few years, they all look so different. Some girls are joining as well with different body shapes. The pageant is also trying to normalize that,” she said.
Miss Universe, which began in 1952, is the world’s biggest pageant. It was previously owned by former US president, Donald Trump.
