The Filipino-inspired-and-founded Miss Earth beauty pageant holds its Australian chapter final at the University of NSW campus theatre on Friday, November 4, 2011.
Chosen from 50 candidates nationwide, Miss Earth Australia 2011 will be crowned at the beauty pageant. The winner will travel to Thailand over three weeks in late November to represent Australia at the Miss Earth International 2011 pageant. Contestants from 140 countries will take part.
A prestigious judging panel will select winners for the following awards: Miss Earth Australia 2011, Miss Earth Australia 2011 Air, Miss Earth Australia 2011 Water, and Miss Earth Australia 2011 Fire.
The panel will also select winners for Green Achievers Award; Best in Gown, Producer’s Innovation’s Award; Environmental Speech, Best in Swimsuit, People’s Choice Award; Miss Charity and Best in Talent.
A Panel of Photographers will select Miss Photogenic, and the candidates will select Miss Friendship.
“Miss Earth Australia is a national beauty pageant that promotes awareness of environmental issues and steps people can take to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Maria James, founder and organiser of the Miss Earth Australia chapter.
“This year, Miss Earth Australia is asking Australians to plant trees because they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, symbolically, they are objects of beauty.
“Our supporters are asked to plant trees to inspire those around them ~ family, friends, suppliers, clients and employees ~ to initiate their own tree-planting schemes.”
There will be the eight Australian candidates to contest the international crown.
“This year’s candidates from across Australia have been to Sydney for a week of training and festivities,” Ms James said. “Before coming to Sydney, they will speak to groups in their communities about environmental issues. At these meetings, members of the audience are asked to plant trees and to ask their friends to do the same.”
Miss Earth Australia 2011 will undertake official duties during the year of her reign in 2012, including attendance to events and speaking at community functions to encourage people to reduce their environmental footprint.