THE MISS NAMIBIA BEAUTY PAGEANT– A SUBSIDIARY OF THE NBC

On Thursday, 23 March 2023, the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) revealed that the national broadcaster has acquired 100% shares of the Miss Namibia Beau­ty Pageant including its trademark and intellectual properties with the hopes of transforming and reignit­ing a sense of national pride back into the competition.

The reveal and prize giving cer­emony took place at Droombos in the capital, where the former National Director of the pageant, Conny Maritz officially handed over the reins to Miss Namibia Chief Ex­ecutive Officer (CEO), Umbi Karuai­he-Upi. The NBC Board of Directors and Director-General, Stanley B. Similo congratulated Karuaihe-Upi as CEO of the Organization, a new subsidiary of the corporation. The evening had more in store for in­vited guests as Karuaihe-Upi an­nounced the dates for the Miss Teen Namibia and Miss Namib­ia pageants slated for 07 and 08 July 2023 respectively and for the first time since its conception, will be hosted in the Erongo Region, Swakopmund, at the MTC Dome. She further announced that entry fees have dropped from N$700 to N$400 for Miss Teen Namibia and from N$850 to N$500 for Miss Na­mibia and extended the application closing date to 12 April 2023.

Another important announce­ment made at the reveal, was Deb­marine Namibia as the official Plat­inum sponsor for the Miss Namibia Beauty Pageant. Debmarine Namibia Chief Executive Officer, Willy Mertens announced: “Guided by Debmarine Namibia’s purpose to “Make Life Bril­liant” and our ambition ‘to be the beacon of mining excellence’.

Our strategy is to recover dia­monds safely and efficiently and de­liver sustainable shareholder returns, whilst striving to leave lasting positive legacy. With this said, creating a last­ing positive legacy comes in many facets just like diamonds. One of our social focus areas is ‘standing with women and girls’.”

Mertens revealed that Debma­rine Namibia resolved to become the official primary sponsor to this prestigious national initiative; to transform lives, inspire greatness and ignite dreams for the duration of the sponsorship by allowing the winner of the pageant to not only act as the country’s brand ambas­sador but also as that of the Deb­marine Namibia brand – to lever­age the Miss Namibia Pageant as a platform to promote some selected social initiatives. He added: “As the official primary sponsor to the Miss Namibia Pageant, we have availed an initial investment of N$2.5 mil­lion as a pilot for 2023 with an op­tion to extend in future.”

With entry applications fast reaching their closing dates, NBC Chairman of the Board, Lazarus Ja­cobs urged young Namibian women to submit their entries on or before the extended closing date to be part of a truly Namibian and national event. At current, the Miss Namibia Organization is undertaking a region wide activation tour, availing entry forms, hosting meet and greet ses­sions with the public to ensure the wide spread message and search for the next Miss Teen Namibia and Miss Namibia reaches each and every cor­ner of the country.

Jacobs added, “To ensure the pageant remains an accurate de­piction of a national event, we are calling on corporates to participate in the investment of young wom­en around Namibia. The pageant speaks to more than being a na­tional symbol of beauty, it equally speaks to showcasing the country on both national and international levels peaking tourism initiatives and highlighting and alleviating poverty by using beauty with a pur­pose as the pageant’s corporate so­cial responsibility.”