MANILA, Philippines — Upon arriving in Eilat from their pilgrims tours in Jerusalem, the Miss Universe candidates went down and dirty on the banks of the Red Sea, sampling the sulfuric mud on their bodies for its therapeutic and beautifying effects. Must be one miry, merry experience.
The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) also divulged the names of this year's selection committee on its Instagram stories. The seven-member panel is composed of Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere, Coco Rocha, Tali Eshkoli, Lyrica Okano, Daniel Rubino, Filpino-American makeup vlogger Patrick Starrr, and Filipino actress Marian Rivera-Dantes. Starrr hosted a roundtable discussion at the pageant's 2019 edition.
Pageant pages and fan sites have all given their respective predictions to their leaderboards. Some cite the same countries, while others picked different choices. But, whoever wins the 70th edition will wear the Power of Unity crown.
Featuring thousands of diamonds, it was designed and hand-crafted by Mouawad to carry with it a message that reflects the values of the Miss Universe Organization. The Power of Unity crown's natural motif of petals, leaves, and vines represent the community of women from around the world whose bonds unite them, and its shield-like centerpiece a reminder that we are stronger together than apart.