Miss World

The Miss World pageant (not to be confused with Miss Universe) is an international beauty pageant founded in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951.

Related Topics:
Miss Universe - Beauty pageant - United Kingdom - Eric Morley - 1951

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It started as the Festival Bikini Contest, in honour of the recently introduced swimwear of the time, but was called Miss World by the press. It was originally planned as a one-off event.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Opposition to the wearing of bikinis led to their replacement with more modest swimwear after the first contest. In 1959, the BBC started broadcasting the competition. The pageant's popularity grew as the popularity of television grew.

Related Topics:
Bikini - 1959 - BBC

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Along with the rival Miss Universe pageant, Miss World has grown to be the most sought after and prestigious title in beauty pageantry. It is the most widely attended and broadcast such event, with over a hundred delegates in competition (Miss Universe, by comparison, welcomes approximately 80 delegates). The road to the Miss World crown is a long one. In the year preceding the global finals, each delegate must win her national title or a specially designated Miss World national preliminary. The annual final is typically a month long extravaganza, with several preliminary events, galas, dinners, balls and activities, culminating in a globally telecast final show in which the field is narrowed to between 15-20 delegates.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The winner spends a year travelling the globe representing the Miss World organization in its various causes. MW has an explicitly altruistic agenda, and has raised over 250 million pounds for various global charities.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~