Reigning Miss Intercontinental Veronica Salas Vallejo of Mexico and Miss Intercontinental Chief Executive Officer Detlef Tursies were in town to officially launch Miss Intercontinental 2018 beauty pageant which will be staged in the country on Jan. 26 next year.
During the pageant’s grand press launch, one senior scribe asked, in reference to the move of the Miss Universe Organization to allow transgender women to join the pageant, whether or not the beauty contest is also willing to accept candidates who are not biologically born women.
The pageant CEO responded positively, “I don’t have a problem with that. I don’t have any objection. We are in the modern times now.”
Asked what the pageant is looking for in a candidate, Tursies replied, “Apart from beauty and grace, she must express herself very well because she’s going to travel the world to be part of the jury or to join the contestants in their journey throughout the pageant. She must also think in a way that reflects the values of the organization.”
Hosted by Miss Intercontinental Japan, the Manila staging of the pageant marks the beauty tilt’s 47th anniversary. The first pageant was held in Aruba in 1971.
For many years, Aruba was the default host of the pageant until it moved to Nigeria, Germany, Colombia, and other countries such as China, Seychelles, Bahamas, Spain and Belarus.
It has a long national and worldwide tradition with redefined new goals and vision for the world of the New Millennium.
It has a rich history of bringing together some of the most impressive, beautiful and interesting women and models from so many cultures and then helping them achieve their goals. That is the heritage unique to Miss Intercontinental—the evolution and expansion of the organization and the pageant. Thus, the choice of Manila, as the staging venue for the 47th edition, as it is a city that shares such vision.
Vallejo will be crowning her successor on the finale slated on Jan. 26. About 80 delegates are expected be competing for the most expensive crown in pageant history.
Last year, newly-crowned Miss World Philippines Katarina Rodriguez finished first runner-up. This year, hometown girl Karen Gallman will vie for the elusive crown.