Beauty, culture and community education came together in Dublin during the first Miss & Mrs Cross Continent pageant.
Held at the Church of Scientology & Community Centre in Dublin, the gathering featured 24 contestants from seven different nations and an audience of about 450 people.
Organised by Miss & Mrs Cross Continent Events Ltd. and sponsored eu news express by Broccoli Care Ltd., the programme was developed in collaboration with The Truth About Drugs Ireland.
Before taking part in the stage programme, contestants and visitors toured a Truth About Drugs exhibition and learned about the effects of commonly abused substances. Some participants completed all fourteen educational modules, demonstrating that their preparation went beyond the traditional pageant format.
In his address, Mayor Francis Timmons noted that education and positive leadership can help create healthier and more united communities.
The afternoon also included Irish, Indian and Indonesian dance performances, reflecting the international character of the gathering.
At the end of the competition, Niveditha Vudayagiri was named Miss Cross Continent 2026. The other leading awards went to Fortunate Lindokuhle Masina and Yuki Yuliatin.
The pageant showed that public events can celebrate talent and diversity while also addressing important social concerns. The complete story can be read in this report about the multicultural pageant combining cultural celebration with drug education.