MR & MS WORLD MALTA

Beyond

Beauty INTERVIEW WITH MR & MS WORLD MALTA

photos by I AM Malta Clothing by Charles & Ron

Atelier recently caught up with Alex Borg and Naomi Dingli to discuss what it takes to be crowned Mr and Ms World Malta and their point of view on other key issues related to the world of beauty.

Mr. World Malta, DR. ALEX BORG

Is beauty the promise of happiness?

Beauty is the first thing that catches the eye. Our body and appearance is a part of our identity. However, beauty isn’t the only thing that creates happiness. Beauty needs to be taken in a holistic way.

How do you manage time between full time work, modelling and other life commitments?

Often, work takes precedence over everything else in our lives. Our desire to succeed professionally can push us to set aside our own well-being. Creating a harmonious work-life balance or work-life integration is critical, though, to improve not only our physical, emotional and mental well-being, but it's also important for our career. I have learned to bring this balance in life by planning ahead and keeping track of everything I am doing.

What does it take to be Mr World?

Appearance isn’t the only criteria in becoming Mr World. Being confident in yourself but at the same time down to earth are essential. Having a great personality is also essential. Nonetheless, having a good general knowledge will help in the interview, in order to show the judges that you are knowledgeable about several issues.

Why is social media important to succeed in such competitions?

Social media is important because it allows you to reach, nurture, and engage with your target audience, no matter their location. Social media allows you to get your followers with you along your journey. It also give you the opportunity to influence others.

What do you want to achieve by participating in Miss World?

Besides being a life-long dream, it is an honour to be able to represent Malta abroad. Nonetheless, I want to be able to use this title to influence youths in order to show them that nothing is impossible in life. With the right mind set, everyone can achieve his goals. The key to achieving your goals, is finding the right balance in life!

Ms. World Malta, MS.NAOMI DINGLI

In an interview with Vogue, Miss World 2000, Priyanka Chopra noted, "The world needs to be trained to see beauty differently." To what extent do you agree?

I fully agree with this statement as I believe that ''Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.'' In today's world I believe that one must be strong and confident and believe in themselves and not let anyone bring you down and believe that you are not good enough. Everyone is different. Different body shape, characteristics, personality, upbringing, lifestyle, culture, but that's what makes the world beautiful and diverse. No one should be judged or discriminated. Everyone deserves to be included, accepted, loved and respected, regardless of race, ethnicity and sex, amongst others.

Do you feel that present-day standards of beauty are inclusive enough?

Unfortunately, no I don’t believe that present day standards of beauty are inclusive enough. I believe that there is still a stigma about beauty, specifically beauty pageants. Unless you have someone related or close to someone that’s into pageants, a majority of people still think that pageants are a waste of time, unfairly judged and that only people who are physically beautiful take part. People tend to not realize that pageants take effort, dedication, hard work, beauty and brains. The pageant industry was and is blessed with not only beautiful models, but also excellent lawyers and doctors to say the least.

What does it take to be Miss World?

Being Miss World Malta, takes a lot of dedication and hard work. It is not only glitz and glam. It involves being dedicated, consistent, responsible and active. Active, not only on social media to promote yourself, the organization and the country but also keep fit in order to keep yourself healthy, physically and also mentally. Being Miss World takes more responsibility as you are representing not only your country but also the world.

In her autobiography, Jennifer Hosten points out, “I thought it was important to show that my life didn’t end at the end of my year as Miss World.” Why should such a contest be considered as the start and not the end of a journey?

Such contest should be considered the start and not the end of a journey because just by handing over the title to another winner, doesn’t mean I will stop being Miss World Malta 2020. It will be my new responsibility to guide the new winner. I will be there to help other girls achieve their dreams. Apart from that I will also keep working on the beauty with a purpose project and encourage others to do the same. Miss World Malta, is a title I will cherish for the rest of my life and it is with great pride that I will encourage other girls to follow their dreams just like I did.

In what way can such pageants be a source of empowerment?

Such pageants can be a source of empowerment as it can make people aware that by being a beauty pageant winner doesn't depend only on physical appearance, but values like culture and one’s intellect are also important. Being in the limelight one must always lead by example and do good things towards the community which will empower others. These pageants also give a platform for the contestants to be heard on different levels and most importantly, it helps them to promote ways how to make the world a better place. As Miss World Malta 2020, I use this platform to encourage others to follow my footsteps and donate blood. Blood donation is vital, and by sparing a couple of minutes every 3/4 months, one will be helping 3 lives.

What do you want to achieve by participating in Miss World?

By participating in Miss World, I want to gain more experience in the pageant industry, build friendships with different girls from all over the world and learn different cultures. Most importantly I want Malta to be proud of me and follow my journey whilst representing our Island in Puerto Rico, commencing in November.