What an incredible moment for Belize, and an especially proud one for us here in San Pedro! Miss World Belize Faith Edgar has made history at the 73rd Miss World Pageant in Vietnam, earning a coveted spot in the Top 40 after finishing among the Top 10 contestants representing the Americas and Caribbean region.
Even more impressive, Faith earned her place in the Top 40 by winning the Beauty With a Purpose challenge for the Americas and Caribbean, putting her Smiles for Belize initiative and, most importantly, Belize itself in the international spotlight.
And here’s something else that makes us extremely proud: Belize was the only Central American country to advance into the Top 40 this year. For a tiny country like ours competing against delegates who often arrive with significantly larger pageant organizations, sponsorships, teams, and resources behind them, this accomplishment is huge.
Faith Edgar, From San Pedro to the Miss World Stage
For those of us in San Pedro, there is an extra sense of pride watching Faith Edgar’s journey. We watched our island community come together to support her. We watched her leave San Pedro with a beautiful parade through the streets, led by the San Pedro High School Marching Band, as family, friends, and residents wished her well before she departed for Vietnam.
Now we watched as her name was called among the Top 40 women in the world. That is something special.
Faith Edgar didn’t simply go to Miss World to wear a beautiful gown and represent Belize. She took something meaningful with her. Her Smiles for Belize Beauty With a Purpose project focuses on improving access to dental care and oral health education for children and under-served communities throughout Belize. That work ultimately earned her the Beauty With a Purpose title for the Americas and Caribbean region and secured her place among the Top 40.
Faith did not advance into the Top 20 after missing out on the final two positions in the overall Beauty With a Purpose competition and the additional judges’ selections for the region. But that takes absolutely nothing away from what she accomplished. She placed at Miss World and very few Belizean women can say that.
Only Belize’s Second Miss World Placement
Faith Edgar’s achievement becomes even more significant when we look at Belize’s history at the international pageant. This marks only the second time Belize has placed at Miss World, following Elise-Gayonne Vernon, who became the first Belizean delegate to achieve a placement when she reached the Top 40 in the previous editions.
It also means Belize has now placed at Miss World twice within the last three editions, an encouraging sign that our representatives are increasingly making their presence felt on one of pageantry’s biggest international stages.
For Faith, however, this journey has always seemed to be about much more than placement. Throughout the competition, she spoke beautifully about service, kindness, hard work, and her belief that where we come from should never determine how far we can go. She certainly proved that herself.
A young woman from our little island of Ambergris Caye traveled halfway around the world, stood alongside some of the most accomplished young women from across the globe, spoke confidently about her country and her cause, won her regional Beauty With a Purpose challenge, and heard Belize called into the Top 40 at Miss World. How can we not be proud?
It Takes a Village
We also have to recognize the tremendous support behind Faith’s journey. Her mother, Tammy Lemus, family members, friends, supporters, sponsors, and the San Pedro community rallied around her to help make this experience possible. Competing internationally at this level requires tremendous preparation and resources, particularly for a small country like Belize.
It truly took a village, and San Pedro showed up for one of its own. Faith may not be returning home with the Miss World crown, but she is certainly returning with something worth celebrating. She has written her name into Belize’s pageant history and represented us with intelligence, grace, purpose, and that unmistakable San Pedro pride.
From San Pedro Town to Vietnam and the Top 40 of Miss World, what an amazing journey it has been. Congratulations, Faith Edgar! You made San Pedro proud. You made Belize proud; and perhaps the most beautiful part of all is that her Smiles for Belize project reminds us that the greatest crowns aren’t always the ones placed on your head. Sometimes they’re earned through the lives you touch along the way.
