Beauty for a Cause is the slogan of the Miss Earth beauty pageant which highlights the work of the pageant and the slogan was adopted since the pageant's inception in 2001. The slogan empowers the contestants to work with an environmental advocacy that is personally significant to them. The phrase is also the name of an award also given by the pageant. The first Beauty for a Cause prize was awarded in 2003. [1] [2]
The connotation that all pageant contestants advocates world peace is a stereotype that is no longer true and having a platform is a part of the competition. [3] Since many women around the world admire and aspire to be a beauty queen, Carousel Productions believed beauty queens would be an effective advocate of worthy causes. [4] In the United States, it was reported in 2013 that there were about 100,000 beauty contests held each year with more than 2.5 million women competing for a chance to win a beauty title. [5]
The Miss Earth pageant raises public awareness about environmental protection and social action to reduce climate change where the delegates of the pageant promotes "5Rs", Re-think, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Respect. [6]
Miss Earth places greater weight on the intellectual abilities of a delegate more than any pageant by electing the winner based largely on her capability to be an effective ambassador of the earth and only secondarily on her beauty. [7] Consequently, the Miss Earth candidates of each participating countries or territories are required to undertake extensive preparation and training in comprehending and addressing environmental issues and problems. [7] The pageant requires the delegates to be knowledgeable about environmental protection, and winners are expected to advocate for and become involved with environmental awareness campaigns worldwide through activities like tree plantings, eco-fashion shows, and coastal clean-ups. [8] The delegates serve as a role model in upholding the advocacy of preserving and restoring the environment. [9]
The Beauty for a Cause award was first given in the Miss Earth 2003 competition to the candidate who made the most significant social contribution. Miss Afghanistan 2003, Vida Samadzai, received the award for helping found a US-based women's charity that seeks to raise awareness of women's rights and education in Afghanistan by “symbolizing the newfound confidence, courage and spirit of today’s women and representing the victory of women’s rights and various social, personal and religious struggles”. The award was then discontinued for three years. [10] [11]
The award was reinstated in the finals of Miss Earth 2007 to honor the delegate with the most significant contribution in the preservation and protection of the environment. [12] Miss South Africa Bokang Montjane was the second recipient of the Beauty for a Cause award, given at the conclusion of the 7th edition of Miss Earth pageant that took place on November 11, 2007 at the University of the Philippines Theater in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. [13]
In 2020, Miss Australia Brittany Dickson, a veterinarian and brain cancer survivor received the Eco Angel Special Award, the equivalent of Beauty for a Cause award in the Miss Earth 2020 pageant. [14] [15] [16]
A beauty pageant is a competition that has traditionally focused on judging and ranking the physical attributes of the contestants. Pageants have now evolved to include inner beauty, with criteria covering judging of personality, intelligence, talent, character, and charitable involvement, through private interviews with judges and answers to public on-stage questions. The term beauty pageant refers originally to the Big Four international beauty pageants.
Miss Earth is an annual international major beauty pageant based in the Philippines that advocates for environmental awareness, conservation and social responsibility. Along with Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss International, it is one of the Big Four international beauty pageants.
A swimsuit competition, more commonly now called a bikini contest, is a beauty contest which is judged and ranked while contestants wear a swimsuit, typically a bikini. One of the judging criteria is the physical attractiveness of the contestants. The Big Four international beauty pageants have included examples of such a competition.
Miss Philippines Earth, originally titled Miss Philippines (2001–2003) then Miss Earth Philippines (2018), is a national beauty pageant held annually in search of "the most beautiful and environmentally-conscious and aware woman" in the Philippines.
Miss Earth 2003, the 3rd edition of the Miss Earth pageant, was held on November 9, 2003, at the University of the Philippines Theater in Quezon City, Philippines. Fifty-seven delegates from all over the globe participated in the event. The pageant was broadcast live via ABS-CBN in the Philippines and to many countries worldwide via Star World, The Filipino Channel and other partner networks. Winfred Omwakwe from Kenya crowned her successor Dania Prince of Honduras the end of the event. Brazil's Pricila Zandona was selected Miss Air 2003, Costa Rica's Marianela Zeledon Bolanos was chosen Miss Water 2003, and Poland's Marta Matyjasik was Miss Fire 2003. The pageant was hosted by Television show host Ariel Ureta. The candidates were initially presented at the poolside of Hotel Intercontinental Manila in Makati on October 22, 2003.
Hil Yesenia Hernández Escobar is a Chilean journalist, model, environmentalist, and beauty queen who won Miss Earth 2006 pageant becoming the first Chilean to win the coveted crown.
Carousel Productions, Inc. is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Earth and Miss Philippines Earth beauty contest. The annual events are produced in partnership with ABS-CBN Corporation. The organization is based in the Philippines.
Karla Paula Ginteroy Henry is a Filipino-Canadian beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned Miss Earth 2008, becoming the first Philippine delegate and the first in the Asian region to win that title.
Miss Earth Guam is a national beauty pageant held annually in search of the most beautiful and environmental-friendly woman in the United States territory of Guam. It is one of the official preliminaries to the international Miss Earth beauty pageant. The pageant focuses mainly on promoting environmental causes and winners are chosen equally on their physical attributes as well as their understanding and knowledge of the issues affecting the Earth. Along with Miss Universe and Miss World contests, Miss Earth is one of the three largest beauty pageants in the world in terms of the number of national-level competitions to participate in the world finals. The reigning titleholders dedicate their year to promote environmental projects and to address issues concerning the environment.
Miss Earth USA is an annual beauty pageant which selects the United States representative to Miss Earth which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness.
April Ross Lim Perez is a Filipino fashion model and beauty queen. She competed in the second edition of the national Miss Philippines beauty pageant and was crowned Miss Philippines 2002.
Miss Terra Brasil is an annual national beauty pageant realized in Brazil to select its entrant in the Miss Earth pageant.
Miss Earth Jamaica is an annual national beauty pageant to select a delegate to represent Jamaica at the international Miss Earth pageant. The current Miss Earth Jamaica is Catherine Harris who was crowned on September 23, 2020.
The Miss Earth Trinidad and Tobago is a beauty pageant has been held since 2011. It is responsible for selecting the country's representative to Miss Earth, which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness.
The Miss Earth Zimbabwe is a beauty pageant promoting environmental protection and selects a national delegate for the international Miss Earth pageant, one of the four largest and most famous female international beauty pageants referred as the Big Four international beauty pageants.
Miss Earth United Kingdom is a Beauty pageant that chooses women to represent the United Kingdom at the Miss Earth pageant.
The Miss Earth Rwanda is an annual beauty pageant in Rwanda and has been held since 2015. It is responsible for sending Rwanda's representative to the Miss Earth pageant which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness.
The Miss Earth Uganda is an annual beauty pageant in Uganda and was created in 2014. It is responsible for sending Uganda's representative to the Miss Earth pageant which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. The current title holder is Caroline Ngabire.
Angelia Gabrena Paglicawan Ong is a Filipina model and beauty pageant titleholder who was won Miss Philippines Earth 2015 and Miss Earth 2015.
Karen Santos Ibasco is a Filipino physicist and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2017. She represented the Philippines at the Miss Earth 2017 pageant and won the title.