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20/09/2022
The global beauty pageant has been postponed to reportedly make way for the Fifa World Cup
The new Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu of India gestures to the audience after being crowned at the Miss Universe 2021 pageant. EPA
David Tusing Sep 20, 2022
The coastal US city of New Orleans will play host to the 71st Miss Universe pageant on January 14. The annual event, which was initially meant to be held later this year to crown the 2022 winner, was postponed earlier this month, extending the reign of current titleholder, Harnaaz Sandhu from India.
“There is no place like New Orleans. This vibrant city has been at the top of our list to host for quite some time due to its rich cultural history, as well as its unique arts, entertainment and culinary scene,” said Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organisation. “I look forward to our delegates from all over the world getting to experience all it has to offer."
More than 90 women will vie for the title of Miss Universe at the event, to be held at the Ernest N Morial Convention Centre. They will compete in various categories, including evening gown and swimwear. They will also take part in an in-depth interview session. The evening will culminate with the 70th Miss Universe, Sandhu, crowning her successor.
“My time as Miss Universe has been an incredible experience and I am so grateful for all the opportunities I have received as a result of this platform,” Sandhu said. “I’m very excited that I will be crowning the next titleholder in New Orleans and that she will kick off her reign in such an exciting and special city known for its resilience, music and grand celebrations.”
The announcement also means two Miss Universe pageants are likely to be held next year, with the second taking place later in the year to crown Miss Universe 2023.
The last time two pageants were held in the same year was in 2021 when, owing to the coronavirus pandemic, a postponed Miss Universe 2020 was held in Hollywood, South Florida, in May. Miss Mexico Andrea Meza won the competition and then crowned her successor, Miss Universe 2021 Sandhu, in December in Israel.
It is likely that a decision to postpone the pageant was taken to make way for the Fifa World Cup, scheduled to kick off in Qatar in November.
More than 50 countries — from the UK to Ukraine and Guatemala to Ghana — have named their representatives for the 71st Miss Universe. In the region, Evlin Khalifa, 24, was named Miss Universe Bahrain on September 11. The trained pianist and dancer will be only the second beauty queen to represent her country at the global pageant.
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