Miss World 1999
- an amalgam
of news reports -
Miss India, paying tribute to Mother Teresa as the woman she most admired,
was crowned Miss World - the second consecutive year India has carried the
title.
Priyanka Chopra, 18, was chosen from among 95 contestants who posed in
evening gowns on a chilly night at London’s Millennium Dome.
In
second place was 18-year-old Giorgia Palmas from Italy. Third was
20-year-old Yuksel Ak from Turkey.
According to the organizers of the 50th annual Miss World contest, it was a
glamorous extravaganza watched by 2 billion people in over 100 countries.
Miss World struggled to maintain its profile against American rival Miss
Universe, and strove to show it is a forward-thinking beauty pageant for the
21st century.
Organizers tried to train the focus on the millions the pageant has raised
over the years for charity. The contestants, too, stressed their volunteer
work, community spirit and academic achievements.
Miss Bolivia, 22-year-old Jimena Rico Toro Gamarra, wants to set up an organ
donor system in her country, while Bosnia-Herzegovina’s candidate,
19-year-old Jasmina Mahmutovic, is a medical student and anti-smoking
advocate.
Sviatlana Kruk of Belarus hopes “to discover and prove a new mathematical
rule.”
For the finals at the Dome, organizers said, the accent was "on talent,
poise, personality and general knowledge.”
“You have to show that you are different, that you’re eccentric,” said
Nigeria’s representative, 19-year-old medical student Matilda Kerry. “They
don’t want Plain Jane or the girl next door.”
Miss World was launched in 1951 by British impresario Eric Morley, who ran
the event until his death at the age of 82 years earlier this month.
The contestants said the pageant was an opportunity for personal growth and
cultural exchange.
“I’ve met girls from countries I’ve never even heard of,” said Angelique
Breaux, 22, of San Diego, Calif., who represented the United States.
She insisted winning the contest was about more than appearance.
“You can’t just sit and look pretty for a year,” said Breaux, who works with
cancer charities and lists “visiting museums” among her hobbies. “It’s a
job.”
