| Miss Universe 2000 | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 12, 2000 |
| Presenters | Sinbad, Ali Landry and Julie Moran |
| Venue | Eleftheria Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Broadcaster | CBS, CyBC |
| Entrants | 79 |
| Debuts | St. Martin |
| Withdraws | Bonaire, Cook Islands, Curaçao, Guyana, Suriname, Turkey, US Virgin Islands, Zambia |
| Returns | Bulgaria, Denmark, Guam, Netherlands, Norway, Zimbabwe |
| Winner | Lara Dutta |
| Represented |  India |
Miss Universe 2000, the 49th Miss Universe pageant was held at Eleftheria Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus on May 12, 2000. 79 delegates from around the universe competed for the crown. At the conclusion of the final night, Lara Dutta of India was crowned as the new Miss Universe 2000 by Miss Universe 1999, Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana.[1]
The final competition at the Eleftheria Stadium featured a stage set reproducing the ancient Curium Amphitheatre. It was hosted by American comic Sinbad, with entertainment by Elvis Crespo, Montell Jordan, saxophonist David Koz and Cypriot international star Anna Vissi.[2] The event was held at daybreak in Cyprus so that it could be televised live during the prime-time viewing period in the United States.[3]
The pageant was marked by certain political issues relating to the contestants. Turkey did not send a delegate to the pageant for the first time in thirteen years because of its relations with Cyprus; the Lebanese and Israeli delegates refused to speak to each other; and Corrinne Crewe of Zimbabwe had to deal with the threat of escalating violence in her country.[4] There were also protests from religious and feminist groups on the island who claimed the event was un-Christian and an affront to women.[5] The three finalists, Miss India, Miss Venezuela, and Miss Spain, were asked to respond to these protests and convince people that beauty pageants were good. Lara Dutta of India, the winner of the competition, responded by saying she believed beauty pageants were a platform for women to voice their opinions and help them enter the field they wanted to enter, be it entrepreneurship, the armed forces, politics, and so forth. She also said beauty pageants made women the strong, independent individuals they are today because of all the help they give women. This spectacular answer to a difficult question completely impressed the judges and entire audience, showing Lara was not only gorgeous but a highly intellectual individual as well. This answer is believed to have greatly contributed to her victory.
That same year, two other Miss India contestants, Priyanka Chopra and Dia Mirza, won the Miss World 2000 and Miss Asia Pacific 2000 titles repectively. This was the second time a country had won all three major international beauty pageants in the same year. The first being Australia in 1972.
Contents |
Host city
Nicosia was announced as host city of the pageant on July 1, 1999.[6] The country invested $3.5 million in the event, in the hope that the publicity would increase tourism, the island's main industry.[7]
Conservative Cypriot church leaders protested the decision to hold the pageant on the island, claiming that millennium celebrations of the birth of Christ were more important and that the event was scandalous and would promote female nudity.[8]
Results
Placements
| Final results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss Universe 2000 | |
| 1st runner-up | |
| 2nd runner-up |
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| Top 5 |
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| Top 10 |
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Special awards
- Miss Congeniality: Tamara Scaroni (Aruba)
- Miss Photogenic: Helen Lindes (Spain)
- Best National Costume:
- Winner: Leticia Murray (Mexico)
- 2nd Place: Lara Dutta (India)
- 3rd Place: Corinne Crewe (Zimbabwe)
Final competition scores
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Order of announcements
Top 10
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Top 5
- 1. Canada
- 2. Venezuela
- 3. India
- 4. USA
- 5. Spain
Top 3
- 1. Spain
- 2. Venezuela
- 3. India
Contestants
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National pageant notes
- The island of St. Martin is divided between France and the Netherlands. In previous years, the Dutch side of the island of island St. Maarten sent delegates to the Miss Universe pageant. This year, the representative was from the French side of the island, thus the name Saint Martin (France).
- Venezuela, initially chose Martina Thorogood to represent their country at both Miss Universe and Miss World 1999. Miss Universe officials objected to this as Thorogood placed first runner-up at Miss World and there was a chance that she could become Miss World should the winner resign or lose her crown. A second, smaller pageant was held among delegates who had competed in previous Miss Venezuela competitions, and Claudia Moreno was chosen to compete at Miss Universe.[10] Moreno went on to place first runner-up.
- India, Lara Dutta was previously Miss Intercontinental 1997.
- Germany, Sabrina Schepmann was Miss Intercontinental 2000.
- Hong Kong, Sonija Kwok was Miss Chinese International 2000.
- Guatemala, Evelyn López was Miss Tourism Queen of the Year 2000.
- Colombia, Catalina Acosta Albarracín was Miss Italia nel Mondo 2003.
- France, Sonia Rolland, is a known actress in her country.
Trivia
- Being the mythological birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty, and alluding to the Judgement of Paris, the organizers presented a golden apple as a prize to the pageant's winner.[11]
References
- ^ Joshi, Vijay (2000-05-12). "Indian woman crowned Miss Universe 2000". Associated Press.
- ^ "Millions to watch Cyprus Miss Universe pageant by Demetra Molyva". Agence France Presse. 2000-05-12.
- ^ Jansen, Michael. "New Miss Universe is trumpeted on Aphrodite's Isle". The Irish Times.
- ^ Joshi, Vijay (2000-05-09). "Global conflicts cast shadows at Miss Universe pageant".
- ^ Efty, Alex (2000-05-11). "Church, women's group denounce Miss Universe pageant".
- ^ "Cyprus to host Miss Universe in millennium". Agence France Press. 1999-07-01.
- ^ Kambas, Michele (1999-07-01). "Cyprus to host Miss Universe next year-official". Reuters.
- ^ "Church and state feud over Miss Universe contest". Associated Press. 1999-08-04.
- ^ . Hina. 2000-03-26.
- ^ a b "Venezuela elects new representative to Miss Universe contest". Associated Press. 2000-03-28.
- ^ "When Indians Danced 'Bhangra' In Cypress". SAM Entertainment.
External links
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