TRANSCRIPT: Miss World 2019 Q and A segment

MANILA, Philippines – The top 5 candidates of Miss World 2019 took the stage during the coronation night’s Q&A portion on Saturday, December 14 in London, United Kingdom.

Each candidate was interviewed by English television personality Piers Morgan, and was asked why they deserved to be the next Miss World of 2020. 

Here’s what the girls had to say:

Nyekachi Douglas, Nigeria

Question: Why you? Why should you be Miss World? Give me a compelling reason.

Answer: Well, I think myself and all the other girls have worked very hard. But I think something that is unique to me is my life experiences. The things that I’ve been through throughout my life have molded me to know that you need to be yourself. Sometimes, I come here with my wig, and then I don’t feel comfortable in my wig anymore, I want to take it off. I want every single lady out there to know that you can be yourself at every time. You know sometimes, when you’re yourself, you inspire other people around you to be themselves. That’s how you make everyone comfortable.

Question: Nigeria is an amazing country. What can your country teach the rest of the world?

Answer: My country has the largest entertainment industry in Africa. Something my country can bring to the rest of the world is our hearts. I feel that we are very connected to eachother. No matter how far we are, we just spread love. If you come to Nigeria, you now they’re going to treat you with so much love, and treat everyone with love.

Elis Coelho, Brazil

Question: Why you? I want to hear a reason why everyone should think, ‘Yes. She’s the one to be Miss World.’

Answer: Thank you for the question. I believe in purpose. And when you know your purpose in your life, you are ready to change the world. We always need to look for a purpose and try to do the best of us every day. I’m not just here to be myself, but I’m here representing all these girls, all these beautiful projects. I want to work not alone, but together, with all this women to make the world better.

Question: Everybody says they want to change the world for the better. What do you think is the greatest threat your generation right now is facing? 

Answer: I believe that we need to be ourselves. We don’t need to mind what society says to us. We really need to be ourselves and believe in ourselves. Sometimes, people are used to being innvolved in what society says, but you really need to be yourself. This is the most important thing to change the world – to be yourself.

Suman Ratansingh Rao, India

Question: Your proudest moment was when you were able to pay for your brother’s community fees. That’s a nice thing to do.

Answer: Yes. I’ve shared this before. I come from a community where the rules of women are restricted. In fact my mother has faced a lot. She has faced all the odds of our community. Still she raised me, she allowed me to follow my own dreams, to follow my path, to just be what I want to be and that’s what make me able to be an independent woman at this age where other women in my community are still struggling to have equal rights.

Question: If you can choose one famous figure from the past or present to help solve one of your global problems, who would it be?

Answer: To be honest I think we’ve had great leaders in the past and I know that we’re going to have great leaders in the future but I won’t be able to make one choice but yes I can say that each one of us, we have a role to play in the society and give back to the society in whatever capacity we can and that’s what I want from all of you. We as an individual, we can do so much to the country, to the world. We just have to believe in ourselves because I am telling you that if I can, we all can, trust me.

Toni-Ann Singh, Jamaica

Question: Why should you win? What’s special about you?

Answer: I think I represent something special, a generation of women that are pushing forward to change the world. I wouldn’t say I’m different from any other women on this stage, but I will say that my passion for women and pouring into them and making sure that they’ve had the same opportunities that I’ve had is something that sets me apart.

Question: Who’s the most inspiring woman for you in the world?

Answer: So you asked me a question to make me cry. Well, okay. The most inspiring woman to me is my mother. Now I must say if my mother and my father are the roots and I am the tree, then really any work that I do, anything that I’m able to change in the world, it is the fruits of their labor. I have watched her pour everything into me even at the sacrifice of her own wants and her own needs and that’s why I’m able to sit before you today, thank you.

Ophely Mezino, France

Question: You represent many different parts of France. France is an amazing country. It has very many talents, very many people. What is it about you, on behalf France, that makes you a winner today, I think?

Answer: You know I have special history. I am a child of deaf and mute [parents] that I said it before. Being a child of deaf and mute and overcome all the difficulties that I have in my family, I have a lot of responsibilities and now I want to impact the life of others, to be useful, and this is why I’m here. I’m proud to present my country, and 66 years after the Miss World from France, I saw her, she’s in the first…I really want to be this one.

Question: Every contestant wants to change the world for the better. How would you change the world for the better?

Answer: I think that it’s the most beautiful mission that a woman can do. I really want to change…I don’t know if only me, I can change the world, but I know if all these amazing women behind me, that we can change the world because we are so courageous, and I am so proud to be with her in this competition.

– Rappler.com