Miss
Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by the United
States-based Miss Universe Organization It is one of the most-watched pageants
in the world with an estimated audience of over 500 million viewers in over 190
territories. Along with Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth, Miss
Universe is one of the Big Four international beauty pageants.
Andrea Meza
of Mexico has been crowned Miss Universe for the year 2020. She beat beautiful
ladies from 74 countries including India’s Adline Castelino, who came in fourth
at the beauty pageant to become the coveted winner. The 69th edition of the
event was a glittering ceremony, which was held on Sunday night i.e., May
16th,2021 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, was a
scaled-down affair in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to
the official Miss Universe website, the 26-year-old Meza was crowned by her
predecessor Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa, who won the pageant in 2019.
It was
Andrea’s winning answer that made her the new Miss Universe. Using the Miss
Universe platform to convey a message, Miss Mexico Andrea Meza during her final
statement was given the topic of changing beauty standards and offered an
inspiring answer. "We live in a society that more and more is more than
advanced, and as we advance as a society, we've also advanced with
stereotypes," she said. "Nowadays beauty isn't only the way we look.
For me, beauty radiates not only in our spirit but in our hearts and the way
that we conduct ourselves. Never permit someone to tell you that you're not
valuable."
This is the
third Miss Universe victory for Mexico, with Ximena Navarrete and Lupita Jones
being declared winners in 2010 and 1991, respectively.
While
Miss Mexico 2020 Andrea Meza was chosen as Miss Universe 2020, Miss Brazil 2020
Julia Gama was selected as the first runner-up, Miss Peru 2020 Janick Maceta
Del Castillo was sashed as the second runner-up, Liva Miss Diva Universe 2020
Adline Castelino was adjudged as the third runner-up and Miss Universe
Dominican Republic 2020 Kimberly Jimenez Rodriguez was selected as the fourth
runner-up.
Miss Myanmar
used her stage time to draw attention to the heartbreaking military coup in her
country by taking the runway with a sign that reads: “Pray for Myanmar.”
Earlier in the competition, the reigning Miss Singapore, Bernadette Belle Wu
Ong, had walked the stage wearing a red bedazzled bodysuit, cuissardes, and a
red and white dress in the colors of the Singapore flag with the message “Stop
Asian Hate.”
Miss India
Adline Castelino, who made it to the top 5, left an impact with a powerful
answer in the final round. To the question “Should countries lockdown due to
COVID-19 despite the strain on their economies, or should they open their
borders and risk a potential increase in infection rates?" Adline stated,
"Good evening universe. Well, coming from India and witnessing what India
is experiencing right now, I have realized something very important that
nothing is more important than the health of your loved ones. And you have to
draw a balance between economy and health. And that can only be done when the
government works with the people hand in hand and produces something that will
work with the economy. Thank you."
Mario
Lopez, who returned to the intergalactic ceremony for the first time since
2007, and Olivia Culpo, who took home the crown in 2012, served as hosts of the
three-hour event. "Despacito" fame singer Luis Fonsi performed at the
three-hour competition.
Like most
things, the Miss Universe pageant was significantly impacted by the COVID-19
pandemic. Not only was the ceremony postponed from late 2020, but 19 countries
and territories — Angola, Bangladesh, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Georgia,
Germany, Guam, Kenya, Lithuania, Mongolia, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint
Lucia, Sierra Leone, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, and the U.S. Virgin Islands —
were forced to withdraw from the competition.
On the
bright side, Sunday’s ceremony marked the Miss Universe debut of Cameroon, as
well as the returns of Ghana and Russia, neither of which have competed since
2018.