The 8th edition of Miss Grand International, i.e., Miss Grand International 2020, is all set to be held on 27th March 2021 in Bangkok, Thailand where stunning beauties from all over the globe will compete for the international crown. Miss Grand International 2019 Valentina Figuera will crown her successor at the end of the event finale.
While this year’s batch boasts of stunning and talented beauties, there are a few ladies who have stood out amongst the rest and show the immense capability to be the winner of the 2020 edition. In a series of features, we’d love to introduce to you our Top 15 favorite contestants for the crown.
Mariana Jesica Varela from Argentina was appointed as Miss Grand Argentina 2020 on 15th October 2020 and succeeded Miss Grand Argentina 2019 Agustina Epelde for the title. She represented Argentina at Miss Universe 2019 where she was highly appreciated for her strong performance but unfortunately, did not secure a high position.
The diva is 24-years-old and stands 177 cm tall. She was studying law but later switched and graduated with a degree in journalism from the National University of Avellaneda and after graduating decided to works as a professional model. After being appointed as Miss Grand Argentina 2020, Mariana took to her social media to share, “I'M MISS GRAND ARGENTINA 2020. With responsibility and love, I will once again wear the most precious band for me, the one from my beautiful homeland! With responsibility and love, I will have my beautiful Argentina on my chest again! THANK YOU SO MUCH!”
In her introduction video, she explained that she lost her mother when she was young but her mother’s values and spirit live inside of her. She feels immensely proud of her culture and traditions and believes that she can make everyone look at Argentina differently.
The diva is a keen advocate of equality around the world and stands against any psychological violence. She cares deeply about this cause because she has suffered from this type of violence in the past and believes that if with her experience if she can help someone in need, she is all up for that. She works hard towards making her advocacy reach a massive audience and with Miss Grand International 2020 platform, she can reach a wider audience. Mariana is the face of a campaign called "A fear not" where a group of women hold workshops and talks to raise awareness and help other women to fight back against gender violence.
Mariana is positive and hopeful for opportunities that will come up to her in the future as she believes that “possibilities in life are infinite, that one can change ideas, options, and thoughts continuously, that God ALWAYS sends us things at the right time and that what is for you will be sooner or later. I believe in second chances; I am a clear example that you can be better than you were with love and work. But you should always love, without forcing, without any other commitment than yourself.” The diva states that with the second chance given to her to represent her beautiful country, she wants to not only make good use of the platform but also make the people of Argentina proud.
The diva’s journey to the crown is something that has helped her to not only grow as a model but as a person as well. She has learned a lot from all her experiences and is very grateful for the one who was there to support and motivate her. “I learned from every moment of joy, sadness, insecurity, euphoria, etc.,” she added. Mariana strongly believes that if a person who dares to dream must also dare to make that dream come alive and nothing can be achieved if one is not ready to put in their best effort. She is very proud that she has been given a chance to represent her country on the international stage again and has been assured that she will perform her best to win the crown.
Mariana describes herself as a reserved yet passionate woman who believes in herself and her dreams. She is not afraid to share her insecurities or fears because she feels, “there is nothing more wonderful than accepting that things happen in this life because they have their purpose if we make an effort to seek it.” She is fascinated with training athletics and loves to train whenever she gets some time. “This activity became a passion and I came to represent my district in internal competitions in Buenos Aires,” she mentioned.
The diva is one of the favourites for the title as she has showcased immense dedication, determination, and focus towards being her best self and performed her best during her quarantine period in Thailand. She is determined to use the second chance given to her in the best way possible and we wish her all the best.