Following the G20 summit, Kashmir will host the 71st Miss World 2023 pageant, in which 140 nations will compete later this year.
In this regard, Miss World Karolina Bielawska, Miss India Sini Shetty, Miss World Caribbean Emmy Pena, Miss Caribbean, and Miss England attended a news conference at the SKICC in Srinagar.
Speaking to the media, Miss World Karolina Bielawska stated that Kashmir Valley is the ideal location to host an event like Miss World since it offers everything.
“I am so grateful to see the beautiful place in India, the beautiful lakes here, everyone has welcomed us nicely. The hospitality here we got was wonderful,” she said, adding it would be riveting to see 140 countries participating in the event.
Every state and nation has their own unique beauty, she continued, but the kind friendliness shown here has been astounding.
“It is a proud moment that Miss World 2023 is going to be held in Kashmir. This month is like Diwali as 140 countries are coming to India and participating as a family,” Miss India Sini Shetty stated in her address.
Speaking to the media, Miss England remarked that she had a lovely time today exploring Kashmir because of the region’s outstanding hospitality.
Miss World made a day-long visit here today, joining other pageant winners like Miss World India Sini Shetty and Miss World Caribbean Emmy Pena.
At a five-star hotel nearby, Poland’s Bielawska and other pageant winners had brunch with dignitaries.
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Julia Morley, the chairperson and CEO of the Miss World Organization, Shree Saini, Miss World America, and Bielawska joined Shetty and Bielawska for the full-day tour.
The breakfast meeting was also attended by Rouble Nagi of the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation and Jamil Saidi, the chairman of PME entertainment in India.
After nearly three decades, the pageant is being hosted by India, which has won the prestigious title six times. The nation last hosted the occasion back in 1996.
Bielawska and the other pageant winners had breakfast with dignitaries at the Lalit Grand Hotel prior to their arrival.
Prior to the 71st Miss World 2023 competition, which will take place in India later this year, Bielawska visited Jammu & Kashmir for the first time as an international beauty pageant winner.
A group of international Beauty Divas visited Kashmir today as a lead-up to the Miss World pageant 2023, according to a handout released here this evening by an official spokesperson.
This is a historic development for the J&K tourism industry and will give MICE tourism a major boost. The Tourism Department made all necessary arrangements for the visit.
The spokesperson listed the other members of the group as Miss World, Karolina Bielawska, Miss World India, Sini Shetty, Miss World England, Jessica Gagen, Miss Asia, Pricilia Carla Saputri Yules, the Chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organization, Julia Eric Morley, and her team, and Ms. Rouble Nagi, the founder of the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation.
The Tourism Department worked with the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation to curate the appearance of these Beauty Divas.
“The visit of these celebrities is expected to give a further push to MICE tourism in J&K which is already witnessing a very encouraging scenario after the successful holding of 3rd Working Group meeting of G 20 countries here in May this year,” the spokesperson said.
He praised the recently concluded G-20 conference, saying it had been a game-changer and transformative event for local tourism and had increased the number of international visitors to the UT, which has climbed significantly as a result of the successful event.
Many prominent dignitaries had visited the area in the interim, he claimed, and various national and international corporate groups and companies had organized their events in UT.
In his remarks, Chairman of the PME Jamil Saidi referred to Kashmir as India’s “crown jewel” and said that it had a special place in his heart.
He remarked that the beautiful surroundings and kind locals remind him of the value of diversity and unity. He expressed gratitude to the Tourism Department and Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha for welcoming them.
An official spokeswoman stated that Bielawska and other international beauty pageant champions later paid Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha a visit on Monday.
Bielawska traveled with Emmy Pena, Miss World Caribbean, Shree Saini, Miss World America, Sini Shetty, Jessica Gagen, Miss World England, and Pricilia Carla Saputri Yules, Miss Asia, as well as Julia Eric Morley, Chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organization. They talked about their trip to the Kashmir Valley.
The spokesperson said that the LG had a conversation with the worldwide champions of beauty pageants about the tourist potential of J&K UT and how it was becoming a popular location for holding important international events.
The Tourism Department worked with the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation to plan the visit of the worldwide beauty contest champions.
The engagement at Raj Bhawan also included the participation of Dr. Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Secretary Tourism Department, Ms. Rouble Nagi, Founder Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, and Jamil Saidi, Chairman PME.