Miss France was crowned Miss Universe on Monday in a made-for-
television spectacle free of last year’s dramatic mix-up but with a dash
of political controversy as the finalists spoke out on the refugee crisis
and other hot-button global issues.
Iris Mittenaere, a dental surgery student from Lille in the north of
France, beat 85 of the world’s most beautiful women at the event in
the Philippines scheduled for primetime viewing in the United States.
Mittenaere, 24, edged out Miss Haiti, the first runner-up, and Miss
Colombia the second runner-up.
In the final question round, Miss France highlighted the benefits of
open borders when asked about the global refugee crisis.
“In France we want to have the most globalisation that we can. We
want to have the biggest exchange of people that we can. Maybe
someday that will change but now we have open borders,” Mittenaere
said.
“Having open borders allows us to travel more through the world and
to find out more about what’s out there in the world.”
Miss Kenya, another finalist, said Donald Trump’s presidency “may not
have been the choice of many people” and divided the United States.
She also spoke out in support of former US president Barack Obama
and said she backed Hillary Clinton to be America’s first woman
president.
“I feel once he took up his position, he was able to unify the entire
nation,” said Mary Esther Were, 27.
Miss Colombia appeared to allude to Trump when asked why violence
was prevalent in the world.
The new Miss Universe Iris Mittenaere of France being crowned the
winner at the Miss Universe pageant at the Mall of Asia Arena in
Manila on January 30, 2017. France was crowned Miss Universe on
January 30 in a glitzy spectacle free of last year’s dramatic mix-up.
“Although there are presidents who don’t get along with others, we
work together to unite. Campaigns, respect and inclusivity to be able to
have a social transformation that would educate our children,” said
Andrea Tovar, 23.
Monday’s show was headlined by US performers including Grammy
award-winning rhythm and blues group Boyz II Men and rapper and
Grammy award nominee Flo Rida.
Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines won last year following a major
blunder in which the host — Emmy Award winner Steve Harvey —
mistakenly awarded the title to Miss Colombia.
Harvey corrected the error minutes later, apologising on air to
Wurtzbach and Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez.
The mistake featured prominently on Monday’s show, with candidates
and the home audience often ribbing Harvey about it.
“Steve, I never got to thank you but thank you for making me the most
popular Miss Universe,” Wurtzbach told Harvey at the opening of show.
Harvey this year got through the closing moments of the ceremony
smoothly.
– Pageant fanatics –
The Philippines agreed to host the pageant as part of efforts to draw
tourists and investors.
Beauty pageants are also hugely popular in the Philippines, particularly
among the tens of millions of poor who see the contests as a chance
for their beautiful compatriots to live a life of fame and luxury.
But allowing the Philippines to host has proved controversial, with
critics claiming the pageant would whitewash Duterte’s brutal drug war,
which has left more than 6,000 people dead.
Environmentalists also hit out at pageant organisers for letting the
bikini-clad contestants swim last month with endangered whale sharks.
Despite the controversies, excited fans from across the globe lined up
before dawn to watch the pageant, which was held in the morning
Manila time for the coveted prime American evening viewing
audiences.
Fans dressed in evening gowns with a sash took selfies outside the
seaside arena where the competition was held while others organised
viewing parties in hotels and restaurants in the capital.
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