The much-anticipated beauty pageant Miss Botswana has opened its doors for a new queen after a year hiatus due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
Speaking during the pageant launch on Friday, Miss Botswana organizer Benjamin Raletsatsi said the wide-spread challenges of Covid-19 across the country have had crippling effects on many Batswana.
Miss Botswana Organization has not been exempt from such challenges and the non-profit organisation has suffered due to the inability of many of its supporting partners to fund their efforts.
Raletsatsi said this year’s 54th beauty pageant audition process has been completely digitized, indicating that they are excited to present to Batswana a 13-episode Lifestyle Reality Series that will profile the wonderfully chaotic, challenging, emotional, personal, growth-inspiring journey of its Top 30 and eventually Top 16 contestants.
He added that the circumstances imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic this year the organizers have taken a valiant virtual approach to set the code, and show Botswana what ‘new normal’ looks like. He said they have planned to do so through delivering all proceedings of the competition through a 13-episode Reality Lifestyle TV Series, backed by a digital campaign that will take audiences on a fantastic and inspiring journey
“Our economy’s poor performance since the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus has delayed us, but has not denied us the opportunity to rise again, and even thrive under the conditions”
“Miss Botswana is more than a competition of beauty; it is a contest of substance, desire and drive. It is a platform for good that belongs to and exists for Batswana, and a platform to instigate meaningful transformation in young women. This revived platform represents a shift to intellectual currency, with a framework that stimulates an eco-system of over 38 industries and sub-sectors. It is the face of a new age, new energy and new future” said Raletsatsi.
This year’s theme is #UnEarthingANewJewel – the time is now for Botswana to look beyond minerals as a form of her identity.
For her part, the reigning Miss Botswana Oweditse Phirinyane said this year’s winning candidate will represent the country at the 79th Miss World pageant in December, which is the home of the renowned Beauty with a Purpose program.
“Through this platform, the winner of Miss Botswana will launch and coordinate a humanitarian project and social initiative close to her heart demonstrating that people are not as beautiful as they look, but as they love, care and share. The project will be showcased on the Miss World stage,” said Phirinyane.
