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.”