Beauties from 130 countries vie for Miss World 2013 Title in Bali, Indonesia

Resplendent beauty steeped in culture was the hallmark of the Official opening Ceremony of Miss World 2013, held on Sunday 8th September at the Westin Resort in Nusa Dua, Bali.

From the very start the dramatic Balinese Kecak or monkey dance choreographed by I Ketut Rina held the audience spellbound. Then 16 of Miss World’s chosen contestants, some of the world’s most beautiful girls from among 130 countries, danced the enchanting Fan Dance, which featured the combined cultural styles of Halmahera, Sunda (West java), Java and Bali, accompanied by a fusion of traditional musical instruments. The dance was choreographed by Indonesia’s own Eko Supriyanto.
At the close of this magnificent show all the 130 equally beautiful contestants paraded on stage wearing colorful ethnic festive costumes from around the Indonesian archipelago.

The opening ceremony which lasted 150 minutes, and attended by state officials and ambassadors, was aired live to over 160 countries worldwide, watched by an estimated 2 billion viewers around the world.

In his welcome speech, Bali Governor, Mangku Pastika, expressed the happiness of himself and the Balinese people in welcoming and meeting all participants of Miss World 2013.

Carrying the theme “Bring Indonesia’s Beauty to the World”, the entire series of events of Miss World 2013, is organized by Miss World Organization and its local partner MNC Group, which has run smoothly and on schedule. Contestants started their activities last Wednesday, one day after their arrival in Bali, taking turns to be photographed and filmed for their profiles, taking as backdrop Bali’s fantastic natural beauty.

Said Jacqueline Steenbeek, contestant from the Netherlands: “Indonesia is just like paradise, the people are friendly, the food is delicious, the nature is beautiful, and the culture is interesting”. While Elena Ibarbia, contestant from Spain also expressed her wish to further explore Indonesia if she were given enough time.

The one month Miss World festival of beauty and fashion will see Miss World contestants visiting a variety of iconic locations in Bali and other fascinating destinations. Pristine beaches, awe inspiring temples, and areas of outstanding natural beauty will be host to this record breaking number of contestants in this, Miss World’s 63rd year event.

Over the month, a series of events await contestants. State of the art studios and world class sports stadiums will showcase each of their talents and sports challenges. Unique and original outfits from leading designers in Indonesia will add a local flair to the Top Model and Beach Fashion events. Contestants will compete in six award categories: the talent competition, beach fashion, top model, sports and fitness, beauty with a purpose and the world fashion designer award.

The pinnacle and final part of the show will take place on 28th September, hosted by Myleene Klass.

Because of protests expressed by a number of organizations to the holding of Miss World Finals in Bogor, that was previously slated to beat the Sentul Convention Center on the outskirts of Jakarta, the venue may be moved. Nonetheless until today, confirmation still awaits as to where Finals will actually be held since convention facilities at this time are already at a premium in Bali, as these are already fully booked for the APEC Summit and related conferences scheduled for this month to early October.

More information on Miss World 2013 available at: http://www.missworld.com/