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By Magda Kuszewska
The Miss World pageant, which usually attracts a TV audience of around 2 billion, will be held in Warsaw Sept. 30. This is where the world's 120 most beautiful women will be this year.
The decision to hold Miss World in Warsaw's Wielki Theater-National Opera was made on the last day of March. On that day, the organizers closed the contest for Polish cities interested in hosting the finals. The decision was easy because only two cities competed with Warsaw: Wrocław and Malbork. The authorities in Cracow and Gdańsk had withdrawn. "This is an incredible chance for us because 2 billion people across the world will be watching the Miss World finals," Tadeusz Deszkiewicz, director of the City Promotion Office said soon after the decision was announced. The Wielki Theater seems to be the most suitable venue for the pageant. The Kongresowa Hall at the Palace of Culture and Science was also considered, but the choice was finally made in favor of the Wielki Theater, which is a reputable and elegant venue. It is Europe's largest opera building.
Nobody doubts that hosting the world's most beautiful women is an enormous promotional opportunity for Poland, and Warsaw. The competition will be broadcast by 200 TV stations from across the world. Apart from Olympic Games and soccer championships, the Miss World finals is the event that arouses the greatest amount of interest around the world. Dozens of Polish Internet forums are already full of enthusiastic comments.
In February, the public learned that Poland would host the finals. The news was announced at a special conference in Warsaw by Julia Morley, president of Miss World Ltd. "Miss World is not only an aesthetic, but also economic and tourist event," Morley argued. "So, it provides an unusual opportunity to promote the city and the region. For two hours, millions of viewers in 150 countries will be looking at Poland. Small towns which had hosted Miss World in the past have turned into tourist destinations." According to the Miss World president, Poland had been chosen mainly because of its people. "I met Polish people across the world, from Australia to Asia and America," Morley said. "There is something appealingly cheerful and melodious about you [Poles]. Poland is a hidden gem."
The finalists will stay at the following Warsaw hotels: The Sheraton, The Westin, The Polonia Palace, The Intercontinental and The Radisson. Warsaw's City Promotion Office will spend a total of zl.40 million on the event. For the time being, the city has one-fourth of the amount needed, but hundreds of advertisers are already preparing their offers, licking their lips.
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