Albanian beauty crowned Miss Earth 2023

Miss Earth 2022 Mina Sue Choi (L) crowns Drita Ziri during the pageant’s final night on Dec. 22, 2023. Photo by Team Kieng Can

The moment her name was announced on stage the final night, Ziri covered her face, showing how moved she was by the achievement.

The audience found her victory convincing and it aligned with predictions from the beauty pageant website Missosology, which had foreseen the Albanian contestant taking the title before the finals.

The new queen, who stands 1.73 meters tall, is currently a Tourism Management student and a TV host. She was previously the second runner-up at the Miss Globe 2022 contest. Her engagement in numerous social activities, including a breast cancer awareness campaign, has become her calling card.

She performed well throughout the three-week competition in Vietnam, and she exhibited confidence in the finals during various performances and an English Q&A segment.

Miss Earth 2023 Drita Ziri during the pageant’s Q&A portion on Dec. 22, 2023. Photo: Team Kieng Can

Yllana Marie Aduan from the Philippines was crowned Miss Air, while Do Thi Lan Anh from Vietnam was named Miss Water, and Cora Blialt from Thailand became Miss Fire. These titles are equivalent to the first, second, and third runners-up, respectively.

Anh also won the Best Appearance award for the most impressive appearance at the Welcome Event, along with Best National Costume.

(From L) Miss Fire Cora Blialt, Miss Earth Drita Ziri, Miss Air Yllana Marie Aduan, and Miss Water Do Thi Lan Anh. Photo by Team Kieng Can

The pageant’s final night lasted three hours and was hosted by British MC James Deakin and Miss Vietnam 2016 runner-up Huynh Thi Thuy Dung. Barbadian singer Shontelle and Vietnamese artists Mono, Sara Luu, Jaykii, and Johnny Duong contributed to enlivening the evening with musical performances.

The 2023 Miss Earth pageant, which took place in Vietnam from the end of November, saw contestants engage in various activities in Ho Chi Minh City. The semi-finals were then held in Da Lat on Dec. 16 before the final night. This marks the second time Miss Earth has been held in Vietnam, the first being in the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa in 2010.