“Promoters of the Miss World beauty pageant have declared that they will hold the event in the disputed region of Kashmir, which India administers.” This event is a part of a month-long calendar of activities, according to the organizers.
Miss World 2023 in Kashmir: The entirety of the region is claime by both India and Pakistan, with a majority of Muslims residing there. However, they each control different sectors divided by the Line of Control.
Decades-long military operations to suppress an insurgency seeking independence or merger with Pakistan have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers, and rebels.
However, India is currently encouraging travel to the area, which has beautiful mountain scenery, and more than a million Indian nationals came there in the previous year.
In November and December, India will host a month-long schedule of activities for the yearly international beauty pageant, with some of the festivities taking place in Kashmir, according to Miss World Organisation chair Julia Morley.
In Srinagar, the largest city in the area, on Monday, Morley told reporters, “This is a blessed place for tourism.”
Before the grand finale in December, competitors will participate in “talent showcases, sports challenges, and charitable initiatives” to narrow down the field.
The Miss World organisation claims that the competition “celebrates the beauty, intellect, and humanitarian efforts of women”.
The pageant has in the past provoked demonstrations from opponents who claim it supports a beauty business that forces women to look a specific way and fosters the exploitation of women.
“India’s G20 Tourism Summit, Civil Liberties, and Miss World’s Praise for Kashmir’s Beauty”
India held a G20 tourism summit in Srinagar in May under heavy security in an effort to demonstrate that what officials refer to as “normalcy and peace” were returning following a huge crackdown that began after New Delhi revoked the area’s limited autonomy in 2019.
Some individuals argue that Indian authorities have significantly curtailed civil liberties by criminalizing dissent, imposing restrictions on media freedoms, and limiting public protests.
Karolina Bielawska, the Miss World 2022, expressed her awe with Kashmir’s natural beauty.
The Polish model stated on Monday, “I cannot wait to welcome 140 nations, as well as all my friends and family, to India and to show them places like Kashmir, like Delhi, like Mumbai… you have so many beautiful places.”