The “Miss World Ethiopia” pageant was place at the Hilton Hotel in Addis Abeba on August 15, 2009. Around 7:00 p.m. local time, the gala supper and beauty competition started. The Artaele Enterprise-organized competition was the third for the company and the eighth of its kind. “Beauty with purpose” served as the motto for the pageant.
This competition had 25 contestants. The participants first entered the room wearing bathing suits, then traditional attire, and finally evening gowns. They were evaluated based on their catwalk skills, their ability to communicate themselves, their familiarity with their nation and its resources, as well as factors like the environment and globalization.
The four judges that were chosen for the competition were only invited; they were not given any previous information regarding their duties. According to the organizers, this method ensures the competition is impartial and fair.
The “Miss Word Ethiopia 2009” judges included a beauty expert, a traditional clothing designer, a cultural and tourist public relations officer, and an investor. They all had varied backgrounds and levels of experience.
Six of the participants were from Mekele, Dire Dawa, Bahir Dar, and Harar. 12 of the 25 contestants advanced to the next round based on their performance in the interviews and their level of confidence. Six of the 12 contestants were then chosen as finalists for the top five spots after two contestants received the same score.
The final competition between the six contestants was a little challenging because each one had a minute to sell themselves, their nation, and why they should win “Miss World Ethiopia 2009.” Around 11:50 p.m., the program host introduced the last three contestants after the judges had made their judgments (local time).
After everything was said and done, Hiwot Assefa, a 1.78m tall girl from Addis Abeba with a lean figure and charming face, finished as the first runner up, and Lensa Tilahun, a 1.93m tall, elegant girl from Oromiya, finished as the second runner up. Lula Gezu (1.77m tall, 56 kg), a sophomore psychology student at Mekele University from Addis Abeba, a chocolate lover, won the title of “Miss World Ethiopia 2009.”
