Miss World baton passes to Tanzania

NHA TRANG: TANZANIA has officially taken the baton from Vietnam as the next host of the Miss World Festival, receiving the Miss World flag at the close of the 73rd edition in Nha Trang on Saturday.

The symbolic handover marked the beginning of Tanzania’s journey towards hosting the 74th Miss World Festival in May 2027, a landmark event that will bring the world’s most prestigious beauty pageant to East and Central Africa for the first time.

Tanzania’s delegation at the handover was led by Deputy Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Hamis Mwinjuma and Tanzania’s Ambassador to China, Suleiman Haji Suleiman, as the country formally stepped into the global spotlight.

The handover came moments after the crowning of Joheirry Mola of the Dominican Republic, who was named the 73rd Miss World in a spectacular final in Nha Trang.

Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés finished first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty was second runner-up.

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For Tanzania, the night carried an added sense of pride. The country’s representative, Latricia Sawe, advanced to the Top 40 from a field of 111 contestants, becoming one of 10 African contestants to reach the quarter-final stage.

Latricia’s run also gave Tanzanian fans plenty to celebrate as she carried the country’s colours through the competition with her Beauty With a Purpose advocacy project ‘Nuru ya Elimu,’ centred on inclusive education and awareness for children with special needs and autism.

Miss World lists her as a model, brand ambassador and social advocate whose work focuses on inclusive education. But the bigger story now shifts to Tanzania.

The country secured the rights to stage the 74th Miss World Festival in April, with the month-long celebration scheduled for May 2027.