The coronation night of Miss International 2018 was held on 9th November 2018 where Mariem Velazco from Venezuela was crowned the winner. The finale was held in Tokyo and since then, our new queen and her court, consisting of 1st runner-up Maria Ahtisa Manalo from Philippines, 2nd runner-up Reabetswe Rambi Sechoaro from South Africa, Bianca Tirsin Lorena from Romania, Anabella Castro Sierra from Colombia, were serving their duties as well as having the time of their lives in the beautiful city and capital of Japan.
Just a few days after the big night, all the contestants were invited at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo for the celebration of the hotel’s 60th anniversary. The very next day, the Top 5 went to visit all the government agencies in Tokyo, starting with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. They met Mr Hiroshi Tabata, the head of the Japan Tourism Agency. Miss International Japan 2019 Tomomi Okada was also present with the Miss International 2018 Top 5 group.
The very same day, they visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where they were welcomed by Foreign Affairs Minister Taro Kouno and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology where they met the Education Minister Masahiko Shibayama. The Transportation Deputy Minister Ichiro Tsukada then welcomed the five winners, along with Miss International Japan 2019. They then visited the Transportation Deputy Minister and the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan.
Mariem and her court surely had a busy day as they visited the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, followed by a warm welcome by the Deputy Minister Yoshihiko Isozaki into the Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry where ICA Chairperson Akemi Shimomura and Miss International Japan 2019 Tomomi Okada joined the Top 5. In the afternoon, the very same day, Japanese Cabinet members Mr Takuya Hirai and Satsuki Katayama welcomed Mariem and her court.
Soon after, the Top 5 winners of Miss International 2018 visited the Pearl Island in Toba City, Mie Prefecture where they posed for photographs in front of the statue of Kokichi Mikimoto, who made a very valuable contribution in the pearl industry of Japan. Upon arriving, they learned how Mikimoto pearls are cultured in the Mie Prefecture as the company is the crown sponsor of Miss International Beauty Pageant.
The Top five witnessed how the ‘amasan’ dives to collect the cultured pearls and how an oyster is opened to retrieve the pearl. Then they met the pearl divers and learned about their profession. After the visit to Mikimoto Pearl Island, they were welcomed by the Toba Chamber of Commerce and Industry for a lavish dinner. The Top 5 then enjoyed a very active and playful session with Japanese kids, playing the Japanese drum (taiko).
The Miss International 2018 Top 5, lead by our queen Mariem, then visited the most sacred shrine in Japan, the Ise Jingu in Mie Prefecture. There, they saw a very rare autumn cherry blossom at the Ise Shrine and posed in front of empty Japanese Sake (rice wine) barrels. Sake is considered a precious offering to the gods under the Shinto religion. The shrine is considered as the dwelling place of the gods, whereby offering the sake, they bless the people with good harvest and weather.
Miss International 2018 Mariem Velazco then visited the UNICEF Office in Tokyo the next day. Her purpose was to turn over the donation that was raised from the charity auction and sale of souvenir items of the 58th Miss International. After the turning of the beneficiary over to UNICEF, the Top 5 had fun preparing for an official photoshoot as the winners of this year’s Miss International Beauty Pageant.
In a rare moment, the Top 5 of both Miss International 2018 and Miss International Japan 2019 were photographed together with the chairperson of the International Cultural Association, Akemi Shimomura during the victory party of the 58th edition of Miss International held at the Miss Paris Ginza.
The Miss International Top 5 are finally leaving for their respective countries after such an eventful time in Tokyo. The winners will be welcomed into their homes and then resume their duties to their communities and to the Miss International Organization. Angelopedia wishes the winner all the very best for their journey this year and hopes that they have more beautiful moments to enjoy during the course of their reign.