THE Miss Zimbabwe Trust will this year host the Miss World Zimbabwe at Borrowdale Brooke Golf Course.
Last year the beauty pageant was not held, with organisers citing lack of suitable participants.
The pageant is scheduled for July 2017.
Auditions for contestants for the beauty pageant will be held from June 29 to July 1.
“This year’s event is a tribute to the Trust’s late patron and will run under the theme ‘Celebrating beauty through the eyes of our late icon, Kiki Divaris’,” said the Trust in a statement.
Speaking to Patriot Arts, Miss Zimbabwe Trust’s spokesperson Tendai Chirau said the theme for this year’s edition of Miss World Zimbabwe was selected as a way of commemorating the works of the late patron of Miss Zimbabwe Trust.
Divaris, born Vasilliki Babaletak in Greece, played a very important role in the country’s fashion and modelling industry.
She was a fashion designer and modelling guru who contributed in the grooming of former Miss Zimbabwe finalists who include Shirley Richard Nyanyiwa, Juliet Nyathi, Caroline Murinda, Yvette D’Almeida-Chakrasin and Angeline Musasiwa, among others.
Through her efforts, Divaris became one of the most influential persons in the modelling industry who helped develop many models.
Shortly after independence, she designed gowns for the first Miss Zimbabwe competition.
She tirelessly worked towards supporting black women in the modelling industry.
Rhodesia never gave black women the opportunity to participate in the industry in a professional way.
Black women, in the eyes of Rhodies, did not possess attributes that qualified them for the ramp.
Only white women were considered beautiful.
And beauty was defined through the lens of whites who had no respect for the black skin and curvaceous body.
The involvement and support from Divaris in beauty pageants opened avenues for blacks to participate in the industry.
The pageant is returning after taking a break in 2016.
“It was difficult for us to hold Miss World Zimbabwe in 2016 with only a handful of contestants,” said Chirau.
“In this edition, we are looking forward to having 18 finalists.”
The organisers are confident the required number for a successful 2016/17 edition will be met since they are roping in contestants from Diaspora pageants.
“The Trust entered into an agreement with organisers of Miss World Zimbabwe, US, Miss World Zimbabwe, UK, Miss World Zimbabwe, South Africa and Miss World Zimbabwe, Canada, and they will each send three representatives to the Miss World Zimbabwe boot camp and join the local finalists.”
Chirau said the agreement ensured all Zimbabweans interested in the beauty pageant will be able to participate and get a shot at representing Zimbabwe in the Miss World contest.
The organisers will allow contestants shortlisted last year to re-audition.
To address the issue of morality in relation to Zimbabwe’s culture, organisers of Miss World Zimbabwe have set rules and regulations that the contestants should observe.
This comes after the year 2014 saw two of the crowned finalists involved in a nude pictures scandal.
In 2014, Thabiso Phiri was crowned Miss Zimbabwe but was dethroned after her nude pictures were allegedly leaked by her boyfriend.
A re-run was conducted after Phiri’s dismissal and Catherine Makaya was crowned winner before giving up her title in just three months, a week before the Miss World pageant.
Tendai Hunda, who was the first princess, was chosen as the representative for Miss World but due to limited time for preparations, she did not perform well.
Another Miss Zimbabwe 2015, Emily Kachote, was dethroned after her nude pictures were leaked on social media.
Former Miss Zimbabwe finalists include Dionne Best (1995), Langa Sibanda (1996), Lorraine Magwenzi (1997), Selina Stuart (1998), Brita Masalethulini (1999) and Oslie Muringai (2004).