Praia, Mar 24 (Inforpress) - The national director of Miss Universe Cape Verde said today that the contest will be used as a “strategic tool for international promotion”, highlighting the inclusive opening of applications and the focus on the empowerment of Cape Verdean women.

According to Nereida Lobo, the Miss Universe Cape Verde contest is a platform for the country's international projection, aimed at promoting tourism and valuing Cape Verdean women.

During the press conference, the national director emphasized that the initiative goes beyond a beauty contest, becoming a space for leadership, communication and social impact.

“We took on this responsibility with a clear purpose: to use Miss Universe Cape Verde as an international promotional tool to increase the country's visibility, promote tourism, culture and Cape Verdean morabeza,” he said.

One of the main new features of this edition is inclusion, allowing women aged 18 and over to take part, regardless of their marital status or whether they have children, as long as they are Cape Verdean nationals.

According to her, this decision comes in response to several messages from women who saw their dream of taking part limited by traditional criteria.

Registration starts on March 27, which coincides with Cape Verdean Women's Day, and is considered by the organization to be a “symbolic gift” for all women in the country.

The selection process includes a casting phase, from which 40 candidates will be chosen, later reduced to 20 finalists, with the involvement of the public and a jury, guaranteeing transparency at every stage.

The selected candidates will also take part in a two-week camp, with training in catwalk, communication, English and personal development, as well as activities linked to national culture and visits to tourist attractions.

The grand final is scheduled for August, when Cape Verde's representative for Miss Universe, scheduled for November in Puerto Rico, will be chosen.

For Nereida Lobo, the aim is to bring an authentic image of the country to the international stage and “to show who Cape Verdean women are, not just for their beauty, but for their culture, history and pride in representing the country”.

The project has the support of the Cape Verde Tourism Institute and other partners, and is also open to collaboration from the private sector and the diaspora.

With an estimated budget of 150,000 dollars, the organization believes that Miss Universe Cape Verde could become a strategic platform for the country's global projection.

The national director also left a message to young Cape Verdean women and men, encouraging them to believe in their dreams and stressing that “this is an opportunity to shine, to lead and to represent Cape Verde in the world”.

Source: infor press