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which celebrates its 60th birthday this year.
This means that Malaika (21) will have to put her shoulders to the wheel to pull it through to the finals of the competition where the bar has been raised high.
Interestingly, according to figures released on the Miss World website, over half the Miss World 2011 participants are in full time education studying for a degree, one in four are already graduates and over half speak three of more languages.
Each one of the contestants including Malaika will be dreaming of landing the title. But what are the chances of her making it through.
“Beauty is not defined in terms of education only but there are other overwhelming things such as beauty with a purpose.
“In this case we are proud of Malaika because she has redefined beauty with an up and running water and sanitation project,” Sugar Chagonda, the head of public relations of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority said.
Added to the glamour and glitz is the inclusion of three countries South Sudan, St Barts and Kyrgyzstan for the first time in the history of the pageant.
And now 60 years on, the Miss World will celebrate its birthday with a tour of the UK culminating in Miss World final in Earls Court, London – the city where it all began on November 6.
Miss World’s journey started in 1951 during the Festival of Britain on the South Bank of the River Thames when it aimed to find the most beautiful women in the world, judged by celebrities of the day Sir John Mills, Dame Gracie Fields and Bob Hope. The first Miss World, Kiki Hakansson from Sweden, was chosen from 26 contestants and received a cheque for £1 000.
The star studded 2011 Miss World Final will bring together representatives from a record 122 countries, celebrity judges, former Miss Worlds and top entertainers which will be broadcast live to over
150 countries with a global audience of over one billion viewers.
It is now the most watched annual global event on television and this event is expected to be the largest live entertainment broadcast from the United Kingdom.
Behind Miss World’s enduring popularity, there has always been a vigorous charitable purpose which has to date raised US$500m for global charity projects through the programme Beauty with a
Purpose, set up almost 40 years ago by Julia Morley and run by Miss World participants.
The Miss World 2011 UK tour will begin in Scotland where participants will play golf at the world famous Gleneagles Hotel, host of the 2014 Ryder Cup, visit ancient Stirling Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was crowned in 1543 and Unesco World Heritage Site, Edinburgh Castle where they will experience the firing of the One O’Clock gun and a rousing ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony.
Scotland will also host the Miss World Sports Challenge where participants will experience the traditional celebration of Scottish culture, a Highland Games, at Crieff Hydro Hotel.
The tour will then move to the University of Cambridge where Miss World
participants will meet fellow undergraduates and take part in a debate at the Cambridge Union on the issue of social responsibility.
Following a guided tour around the world’s most famous university, they will take up a charity challenge of a punt race on the River Cam.
In London, participants will enjoy a Thames boat cruise to historic Greenwich, a tour of The Tower of London and a ride on one of the capital’s iconic landmarks, the London Eye.
The Miss World Charity Gala is scheduled for today at The London Hilton
Ballroom with all funds raised going to support sick and disadvantaged children through their Beauty with a Purpose programme.
Former Miss World contestants have gone on to a variety of successful careers including lawyers, doctors, teachers, fundraisers and actors who include Halle Berry, Lynda Carter, Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh and Zilin Zhang, Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra.
Miss World has had a unique relationship with the Bond franchise, with 12 going on to appear in Bond films.
The 2011 Miss World Final will be broadcast LIVE to over 150 countries with a global audience of over 1 billion viewers via broadcasters including E! in the UK and USA, CCTV in China, Zee in India and Televisa in Mexico.
Some of the Miss World participants include Halle Berry (1986 finalist), Hollywood actress, Zilin Zhang (2007), one of China’s biggest stars and a face of L’Oreal, Maggie Cheung and Michelle Yeoh (1983 finalist), Hollywood actresses, Aishwarya Rai (1994) and Priyanka Chopra (2000), Bollywood’s two biggest female stars and Ann Sidney (1964), British winner who went on to a successful TV
and theatre career. Others are Wilnelia Merced Forsyth (1975), married to one of UK’s best loved entertainer’s Bruce Forsyth as well as Lynda Carter (1972 finalist), Wonder Woman.
Online Reporter