Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
Zimbabwean beauty queen Shelly Bent is the only African contestant, who made it in the Universal Woman pageant top 12 in India.
Bent is the only contestant from the entire African continent to achieve this feat, a testament to her immense talent.
She joins an immensely talented group of women from Cuba, Chile, Bolivia, Vietnam, Colombia, Arabia, Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Estonia, and the Philippines in the Top 12.
The international competition, which brings together outstanding women from different countries to share experiences, talents, and leadership, will take place from August 1st to 10th.
The preliminary round will take place on August 8th, while the grand finale will take place on the 10th in Jaipur.
Bent is already among the Top 12 in the talent competition, a challenge in which she will have to present her creativity and skills to the jury over the next few days.
With her participation in the pageant, Fernanda seeks to showcase a more relatable and theatrical side of herself.
“I am beyond honoured. This talent show performance was a tribute to my brother who is recovering and for anyone in the community that feels alone you are not and I’m here to speak up in voice or moves I’m here for Zimbabwe.
“This one is for you Jamie I am a proud sister seeing you recover and grow keep going because I will keep standing,” she said.
The pageant was previously scheduled in June in Jaipur, India, but organizers decided to postpone the proceedings after the South Asian nation launched retaliatory missile attacks on a Pakistani-controlled area of the Kashmir region.
Today will be presentation where they will be leading and sharing impactful presentations in the International Congress of Successful Women.
They will deliver a presentation on one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
More than just a beauty pageant, Universal Woman positions itself as “the international congress of successful women.”
It has a more inclusive set of qualifications, allowing married woman, mothersà and transgender women to take part.
It also has a wider age bracket for participants, accepting candidates from 25 to 45 years old. Reigning queen Maria Gigante from the Philippines was crowned last year at the age of 30.
