KATARINA Rodriguez, the country’s representative to this year’s Miss World pageant took to social media to apologize after her Beauty with a Purpose (BWAP) project failed to make it as finalist.
“Iwanted to say Iam so sorry to all of the people who worked on this Beauty with a Purpose (BWAP) project with me. It may have been because of specific guidelines, which I was unfortunately unaware of, that Idid not even cross for the top 20 BWAPs this year for Miss World,” Rodriguez posted on Facebook.
Rodriguez’s charity program “Project Become,” focuses on displaced kids in Marawi. Its main goal is to build schools, invest in educators, and provide instruction materials for them.
In the video she created for the same, Rodriguez is shown traveling to Marawi, meeting with soldiers as with families affected by the conflict.
She said, “This is my whole heart. Everything I am has been put into this project and into this dream. I guarantee Iwill only ever speak and show the truth and this video does exactly that. It hurt me that I did not qualify for BWAP more than anything else has in the past because I wanted the world to see what war and violence does to real life people.”
Explaining why it failed to make the grade, Rodriguez wrote, “Miss World has guidelines and sadly, I had no briefing about them before creating my BWAP, other than the time limit.”
She went on to apologize to pageant organizers.
“I meant no disrespect and wish I had known. Ialso wanted to say thank you for generating this powerful channel for us to give our hearts to. Nevertheless as I’ve said you can only ever expect truth from me,” Rodriguez posted.
She would go on to emphasize, “My BWAP is reality. It’s a reality in Marawi, in Syria, in Myanmar, in Chile, India, Libya, South Africa, Palestine, Ecuador and in communities where discrimination against race, religion, gender and culture occur.
“Where Peace lacks, everything else becomes present. Peace education is so important because it will teach the children and youth the differences between people and promote acceptance over exclusion. It’s a simple solution to war & violence and other stigmas WORLD WIDE. My BWAP focuses now on the community in Marawi, but my vision for the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement is GLOBAL.”
Note winners of the fast-track competitions will automatically advance to the semis.
So far, candidates who have made it through include France, Japan, United States, and Nepal.
The grand coronation night will be held on Saturday, Dec. 8. (ROBERT R. REQUINTINA)
