Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices Second Year student Irene Navicha was the runner-up in Miss Culture Global competition.
The current Miss Culture Malawi , participated in the Miss Culture Global title in Johannesburg, South Africa on 5 October.
A South African girl Casey Esmeraldo won the Miss Culture Global title while a contestant from Philippines identified only as Cleof emerged as second princess.
Speaking in an interview Navicha said she has passion for cultural preservation and promotion, youth empowerment.
” Culture is the driving force of a community. As someone who grew up in Malawi, I have seen how culture has promoted unity, identify and a sense of togetherness. For me culture is everything”, she said.
Apart from being a Miss Culture, she is also the founder of the Greynavies Foundation, an organisation that creates a welcome environment for marginalised youth to share their stories and break stigmas.
“I want reach out to more marginalized youth across different communities to achieve this I use inclusive language, listen actively, collaborate with local leaders, and remain authentic and respectful.” She said.
Education equality is another critical issue Navicha issue that Navicha advocated for at the Cultural Global Competition in a bid to address challenges such as school drop-out among girls.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer for Miss Culture Global Lorraine Ljajic said she is happy that Malawi had a representation.
“Previously, Malawi never had a representation in any of our beauty pageantry. I am happy that Malawi took part and performed well this time around,” she said.
