Miss Universe 2023 was the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, held at the José Adolfo Pineda Arena in San Salvador, El Salvador on 18 November 2023.
Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua was crowned the 2023 Miss Universe at the culmination of the annual beauty pageant, which took place on Saturday night in El Salvador’s capital, San Salvador. Anntonia Porsild of Thailand placed as first runner-up.
Palacios’ win marks the first-ever time a Nicaraguan woman has won Miss Universe. She had previously represented Nicaragua in the 2017 Teen Miss Universe pageant, placing in the top 10, and in the 2021 Miss World pageant.
The winners of 84 countries’ national pageants had competed at this year’s Miss Universe, judged by a panel including model Halima Aden, “Queer Eye” star Carson Kressley, TikTok influencer Avani Gregg and two former Miss Universe winners, Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad & Tobago (Miss Universe 1977) and Iris Mittenaere of France (Miss Universe 2016).
Two rounds of hot topic Q&As then left just three women in contention: Palacios, Porsild and second runner-up Moraya Wilson of Australia.
Asked in the final round who she would choose to spend a day in the life of, Palacios chose the 18th-century British philosopher and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who she said broke boundaries and “gave an opportunity to many women.”
Palacios succeeds the 2022 Miss Universe, R’Bonney Gabriel of the USA.
Entertained by world class muscian John Legend the crowd was wowed while watching some of the most beautiful women in the world. This competition even included to trans gender females and a plus size model emphazising the need for diversity, inclusion and unity
Even the President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele Kattan attended and ivited everyone to be part of El Salvador’s Rebirth.
Nancy and Dave Rivard attended the event accompanied by some of the First Family
***
****
It was an honor to be at a previous event as weell where we got to meet some of the incredible contestants. Their beauty was matched by their poise and self -actualization.