PAGEANT Circle

Anouk Eman bested five other competitors to win Miss Universe Aruba 2024 on Saturday, August 10 at the Aruba Marriott Grand Ballroom. The 32-year-old fashion model and scoliosis awareness advocate will represent Aruba at Miss Universe 2024 in Mexico this November. She succeeds last year's winner Karol Croes. Giulia Brezovar was named first runner-up. The other contestants were Naomi Croes, Irviljen Hato, Marie Sonise Elliassaint, and Sasha Williams. The new Miss Universe Aruba holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's in early intervention in autism. She was diagnosed with scoliosis as a teenager which led to her being an advocate for the condition in which a person's spine has an irregular curve. As a titleholder, Anouk wants to continue her passion for helping children with special needs and implement a national system of early intervention in autism. Road to the 73rd Miss Universe: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anouk Em...

Miss Universe 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel kicked off a cruise ship adventure with her sister queens this weekend from the Port of Galveston in Texas. Fresh from her quick trip to Manila, she was reunited with last year's Miss Universe Aruba Kiara Arends and Miss Universe El Salvador Alejandra Guajardo. This is the first time the beauty queens have met since they competed in the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana last January. They will have a week full of activities visiting three different countries such as Honduras, Belize, and Mexico onboard the Carnival Vista, a cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. "We're going to be posting all of our adventures, we're going to have a spa day, we're going to the beach, there's lots of delicious food," R'Bonney shared, eagerly anticipating the next few days. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alejandra Guajardo (@aleguajardo_sv) Photos: Alejandra Guajardo / In...

Karol Croes bested five other finalists to be crowned Miss Universe Aruba 2023 on Sunday, August 20 at the Renaissance Convention Center in Oranjestad. The 27-year-old model, entrepreneur, and social media marketer also bagged the Miss Photogenic award. She succeeds Kiara Arends and will now prepare to represent Aruba at Miss Universe 2023 in El Salvador this November. Gavriëla Bozo was named first runner-up and was awarded Most Inspirational while the rest of the finalists Anaisa Orman, Lorraine Oduber, Milenka Janssen went home with the First Mom, Miss Congeniality, and Most Disciplined special awards. Inspired by personal adversities and experiences in her youth, the new Miss Universe Aruba created the movement "Pan pa mi ruman" which promotes healthy environments and relationships for youngsters between the ages of 12 and 18. Karol wants to use her voice to equip and empower the youth by sharing tools for self-expression, self-love, and self-empowerment. In case you misse...

Kiara Arends was crowned Miss Universe Aruba 2022 in a special coronation event that took place on Sunday, July 31 in Oranjestad. The 23-year-old travel enthusiast, model, and law graduate is a social justice advocate who founded BUMP, a charity organization that benefits upcoming mothers during the pandemic. No stranger to pageantry, Kiara held the title Miss Teen Aruba International 2017 and she was Virreina de las Americas at Miss Teen Americas 2018. The newly appointed Miss Universe Aruba will now prepare to represent her country at the 71st Miss Universe (Miss Universe 2022) pageant. No official date and venue have been announced yet for the international competition. Aruba made a historic Top 10 finish at last year's Miss Universe edition in Eilat, Israel with Thessaly Zimmerman. No Aruban woman has ever placed in the pageant since Taryn Mansell was named first runner-up to Venezuela’s Alicia Machado during Miss Universe 1996. View this post on Instagram A...

Thessaly Zimmerman was crowned Miss Universe Aruba 2021 last Friday, July 30 at the House of Mosaic in Oranjestad. The 26-year-old social media coordinator holds a bachelor's degree in communication. She succeeds last year's titleholder, Helen Hernandez. "I cannot express how proud I am to be the newly crowned Miss Universe Aruba 2021," Thessaly posted online. "I wanted to thank everyone that made last night possible and believed in me from the start," she added. Thessaly will represent Aruba at the 70th Miss Universe (Miss Universe 2021) competition to be held in Eilat, Israel this December. Photo: Thessaly Zimmerman / Instagram