Maria Julia Mantilla (Miss World 2004)
A year in the life of a Miss World titleholder is always a busy one, including for Miss World 2004 from Peru, Maria Julia “Maju” Mantilla. The picture above depicts one highlight in her reign when she and Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan participated in a humanitarian visit on April 2005 to a village near Banda Aceh devastated by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. She visited the village to support the tsunami victims and to raise awareness on tsunami reconstruction.
Zukhriatul Hafiza (1st Runner Up Puteri Indonesia 2009)
As the 1st Runner Up of Puteri Indonesia 2009, Zukhriatul Hafiza took the official title of Puteri Indonesia Lingkungan 2009 (Indonesian Princess of Environment), a title that translates not only on her sash but also on her actions during her reign. In the picture above, you can see her along with Papua children participated in a tree planting activity. The tree planting activity is part of her "green" visit to Timika, Papua on May 2010 where she shared and educated people there about the importance of environmental conservation as well as other "green" activities.
Nazanin Afshin-Jam (1st Runner Up Miss World 2003)
Iranian born and Canadian citizen Nazanin Afshin-Jam is truly a woman with a purpose. She is not only a mere beauty queen but also a human rights activist. One issue that she strongly opposes is the human rights abuses of women and children in Middle East. To that end, she founded Stop Child Executions (SCE) Campaign in 2008 and petition to help children inmates on death row. To date, SCE has managed to help save many lives. In April 2009, she was awarded the "Human Rights Hero Award" from UN Watch in Geneva, Switzerland for her continuous work in helping save children lives from death execution.
Ximena Navarette (Miss Universe 2010) and Miss Universe 2011 contestants
One of the most important event in Miss Universe history is perhaps the announcement of philanthropic partnership between Miss Universe Organization and Operation Smile, an international children medical charity, to help raise awareness for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates. As part of the partnership, no other than the reigning Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrete herself, along with four Miss Universe 2011 contestants, Priscila Machado (Brazil), Luo Zilin (China), Vanessa Gonçalves (Venezuela), and Shamcey Supsup (Philippines), volunteered on an Operation Smile medical mission in Sao Paulo, Brazil, showing that Miss Universe is not only about superficial beauties but also about the endless philanthropic work behind it.
Mister International 2011 contestants
Following the footsteps of its female counterpart, male pageant also started to contribute and participate more in humanitarian works. An eample was set by the Mister International Organization when they asked their contestants to participate in a humanitarian visit to the victims of the massive flood in Bangkok, Thailand as they supported and delivered some donation for these people. In the picture above, you can see some of these handsome men with the victims of the flood took a photograph together.
