South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi wins Miss Universe 2019

South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi wins Miss Universe 2019
Report: Raymund Thom Golez | Managing Editor
Photos: Raenen Golez | Images Credits: IMG/Miss Universe; Benjamin Askinas; Yetbo LoveRita; Troi Santos

ATLANTA, Georgia – South African beauty Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe 2019 on Sunday, December 8 at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia after a lavish ceremony filled with glitter and heartfelt speeches about women empowerment.

Tunzi is the third woman from South Africa to win the title, and the first black woman since Leila Lopes was crowned Miss Universe in 2011. An advocate of natural beauty, Tunzi proved to the world that she can empower women through the pageant’s amazing platform. She also said that leadership is the most important thing to teach young girls today.

“I think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership. It’s something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time, not because we don’t want to, but because of what society has labelled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings in the world and that we should be given every opportunity. We should be teaching young girls to take up space“. Tunzi, a native of Tsolo in the Easter Cape of South Africa, addressed the judges and audience in a strong and heartfelt way while talking about her journey, and during the final question-answer round.

Puerto Rico’s Madison Anderson and Mexico’s Sofia Aragon were the first and second runner-up. Television personalities – Miss Teen USA 1998 Vanessa Minillo-Lachey and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo served as backstage correspondents, and a panel of seven women determined the winner. Steve Harvey hosted the pageant’s coronation night for the fifth time now.

Tunzi earned cheers during her closing speech, a new segment of the competition, in which she talked about wanting to empower young women to feel confident.

“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful. And I think that it is time that it stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want to see their faces reflected in mine“.

Tunzi bested more than 90 candidates from around the globe in the 68th installment of the pageant, which only ran in a span of ten days, wherein, many pageant followers believe that it was too short for a normal pageant duration, which resulted to a compacted line-up of activities for this year’s roster of candidates.

Tunzi bested more than 90 candidates from around the globe in the 68th installment of the pageant, which only ran in a span of ten days, wherein, many pageant followers believe that it was too short for a normal pageant duration, which resulted to a compacted line-up of activities for this year’s roster of candidates.

Heavy favorite Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados landed in the Top 20 and also won the Best National Costume.

Outgoing Miss Universe 2018 made her final walk on the stage of Tyler Perry Studios wearing a blue, feathered gown by Filipino designer Mak Tumang to thank her “beloved Philippines” in a rousing closing speech, stating “you endlessly inspire
me and give me hope.”.