TRANSCRIPT: Miss International 2024 Final 8 question and answer portion
The fate of the Miss International 2024 crown hung in the balance as the finalists stepped up to the microphone for the intense question-and-answer round.
Held on Nov. 12 at the Tokyo Dome City Hall in Japan, the coronation saw Andrea Rubio of Venezuela crown her successor Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy of Vietnam.
The Philippines' Angelica Lopez fell short of advancing to the Top 20, marking the end of her Miss International journey. The country's quest for a seventh Miss International crown, following the victories of Gemma Cruz-Araneta (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Melanie Marquez (1979), Lara Quigaman (2005), Bea Santiago (2013), and Kylie Verzosa (2016), continues.
With a strict 30-second time limit, each Top 8 contestant had to showcase their intelligence, poise, and eloquence to secure their place in the competition.
Here's how they answered:
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word 'sustainability'?
BOLIVIA, Camila Roca: The first thing that comes to my head when I hear sustainability is hope, prosperity. And I believe that the most important thing that a human being can have is empathy. And when we are sustainable, we are not just thinking of us, we're thinking of our legacy and what we give to the world. I believe that we come to the world with the ikigai of purpose in life and that we have to share, we have to share this purpose for the world and to contribute. Thank you.
What do you think is the biggest obstacle in achieving gender equality?
INDONESIA, Sophie Kirana: To me, the hinder of gender equality is only the mindset. Us generation, it is our job to know that we are different but we have the same value, we have the same purpose and we have the same chance to support gender equality. And me, as the brand ambassador of Rise and Girls, a community empowered by UNESCO and Women at Dior, I am very proud to be the representative for gender equality. I would like to support women empowerment.
Which political figure, man or woman in the 21st century, do you admire the most and why?
CZECH REPUBLIC, Alina Dementjeva: If I would choose a political person, I would choose Ursula Fundavai. She is the first-ever woman to be a head of European Commission, and she she makes me feel very proud of this achievement, and also she is working for sustainability. This is a goal that I truly believe in. I committed into sustainability by working on the goal number 13, it is climate action, I organized clean-up initiatives and tree planting because I believe every single action matters, and we all can make a big difference by small things. Arigato. Thank you.
Share with us your thoughts about artificial intelligence.
VENEZUELA, Sakra Guerero: For me, artificial intelligence means a very modern tool which help us create a lot of things, to help us have a better life. But I also think that we also have to keep the balance between our human sense and our modern society. We have to remember that in this modern world, it is also hard to believe. That's what I think that we have to do with artificial intelligence. Thank you very much. Arigato gozaimas.
Name some of the qualities of a good leader that you believe are the most important in today's society.
POLAND, Ewa Jukubiec: I think that [a] good leader is not only honest, strong, and visionary, but also empathetic. I think the best leader are women. We need to support women as leaders and for me, the best example would be Kamala Harris. [She is a] strong woman, she chose her skills in the campaign. So, thank you very much.
Which environmental issue are you personally concerned about the most and why?
NEW ZEALAND, Samantha Poole: I believe the biggest issue right now for the environment is climate change. It affects everyone, it affects everyone globally, it affects our ecosystems and our societies. I believe we need to create a change and us doing sustainability and pageantry is a good step towards that already. we need to respect our land, we need to respect our world because we are inheriting it to the next generation and they deserve a beautiful planet. Thank you.
What has been the most significant global development that has affected your generation's educational system?
VIETNAM, Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy: "I think it is the emergence of global educational system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the COVID-19, we have to stay at home and learning online. So is it a change for the growth of the education development. And I hope that students will have more chance to expand, to explore the opportunity for learning through education in support to the SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) number four, quality education. Thank you."
Despite seeing progress and job opportunities, many people remain poor. What can be done to reduce the poverty rate?
SPAIN, Alba Perez: I have the chance to be a medical student. And this year, I'm going to be graduating officially as a doctor. But since I was a little girl, I have always questioned to myself why in other part of the world, there is a woman like me with the same dreams and aspirations but with a different voice because she has less rights or opportunities than me. I don't know why but for some reason, today is me, who is here having the opportunity to be the voice to all of those women that now they still don't have. and that is precisely what I will have to do to show as the next Miss International. I would like to raise awareness and the importance of ensuring quality education for everyone without discrimination as the perfect tool to finish poverty. I believe we can change the world with our action and this is the perfect platform to do it.