Universal Woman postpones Indian staging; Miss World pushes through in Telangana
Reigning Universal Woman Maria Gigante (center), 2025 Filipino bet Jasmine Omay (right) and Arabia’s delegate Keylyn Trajano. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
While the Miss World pageant appears to be oblivious of the armed attacks between its 2025 host country India and Pakistan, another international competition called Universal Woman has postponed the staging of its contest due to the tension.
On Tuesday evening, May 6, India launched a retaliatory missile launch on the area of the Kashmir region controlled by Pakistan, resulting in the cancellation or rerouting of flights. Pakistani airspace was also declared as a no-fly zone.
The Universal Woman pageant was supposed to hold its third edition in Jaipur, India, next month, but postponed its staging “[d]ue to the escalating tensions and ongoing conflict between Pakistan and India over the Kashmir region, which has tragically resulted in significant loss of life and widespread disruption.”
In a statement released on social media on Thursday evening, the budding global pageant said “[t]his decision has been made with the utmost concern for the safety and wellbeing of our candidates, national directors, team members, and everyone involved.”
Reigning Miss Grand International Rachel Gupta, an Indian, shared updates about the situation. “It’s really scary here in Jalandhar right now,” she posted on Thursday evening.
“The power’s out, and we can hear loud blasts across the city. Videos are going around showing drones and missiles in the sky, and parts of the city are on fire. We’re all just hoping and praying things don’t get worse tonight,” she continued.
The Universal Woman Organization, in its statement, also recognized the efforts that the partner countries’ would-be delegates have already invested for the 2025 competition, but cited that the pageant’s commitment is to their safety and security.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and those affected by this conflict. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this crisis,” continued the organization, while telling followers to wait for updates about the new date of the 2025 contest on social media.
The reigning Universal Woman titleholder is Filipino queen Maria Gigante, who was crowned in March last year in a competition held in Cambodia. She was the first delegate from the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the Miss World pageant is pushing through with its 72nd edition in the southern Indian state of Telangana, with more than 100 delegates from around the world currently staying in Hyderabad.
As of this writing, the Miss World Organization has not made any statement pertaining to the Indian-Pakistani conflict and the armed attacks between the two countries.
In 2002, the Miss World pageant moved its competition to London from Nigeria after a series of violent protests in the African nation that resulted in the death of more than 100 people.
Miss World Organization President Julia Morley issued a statement about the transfer to a new pageant venue without mentioning about the riots in Nigeria.
Krishnah Gravidez is representing the Philippines in the 72nd edition of the Miss World pageant. She left the country on Tuesday afternoon, and safely arrived in India in the evening.
Two Filipino women, meanwhile, were set to compete in the 2025 Universal Woman pageant. Gravidez’s national pageant runner-up Jasmine Omay was appointed to represent the Philippines, while Jeddah-born Kapampangan transgender woman Keylyn Trajano was supposed to carry Arabia in the contest. /ra
