The 20 ladies competing for the 2025 Miss Jamaica World title were unveiled last Friday night at a media launch held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.
Among the finalists are a police officer, university students, a professional model, and a guidance counsellor.
Of note, the top three winners will all be representing Jamaica in overseas pageants.
“The first-place winner will, of course, be going to Miss World, while the first runner-up will be crowned Miss Earth and represent us at the Miss Earth international pageant. The second runner-up, Miss International, will also represent us in the Miss International pageant,” said franchisee Dahlia Harris.
This year’s edition features a multimedia challenge and Universal Service Fund (USF) as signed on in partnership.
“This is our first year with the Miss Jamaica World pageant. The multimedia challenge this year is digital literacy and digital transformation, and this aligns perfectly with the Universal Service Fund’s mandate of bringing digital connectivity right across Jamaica. We have over 400 community Wi-Fi sites which services over 200,000 Jamaicans per month. It was really a natural marriage, and also the USF is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and it really is the embodiment of what the USF stands for in terms of improving digital literacy and bringing digital transformation to Jamaica in all aspects,” said CEO Charlton McFarlane.
This year the pageant has secured a partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness as the title sponsor. According to Dr Tamu Davidson, director of the NCDs and Injury Prevention Unit in the ministry, the pageant aligns with the message on breast cancer awareness.
“This is what you call beauty with a purpose, and these are our future leaders. When we looked at breast cancer awareness and coming together, and the fact that they can bring this message to their communities as spokespersons and advocates, it was really a no-brainer for us to partner with the pageant. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths among women, not only in Jamaica but globally. We felt that a pageant with a purpose was really an excellent platform to amplify the message…” Davidson told the Jamaica Observer shortly after the launch.
On Saturday, October 11, Asia Wright won the Miss Jamaica World Fitness Challenge at Emancipation Park in New Kingston.
Nevaeh Allen, who on Sunday placed first in the Miss Jamaica World Beach Beauty fast track competition at Fort Clarence Beach in Portmore, St Catherine, is looking forward to the grand finals.
“I was second runner-up in Miss Jamaica World Eastern Region and I also competed in a pageant in high school. There’s a lot of excitement that comes with pageants and I’m excited to get to know everyone and learn from them,” said Allen, a 19-year-old student at University College of the Caribbean.
Both Wright and Allen have secured automatic placement in the Top 10 of the Miss Jamaica World pageant.
Other fast track events include Talent (Wednesday, October 15, at Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre) and Top Model (Saturday, October 18, at UTech Auditorium).
“I feel like every pageant experience is different, and I’m really looking forward to growing more and connecting with these ladies,” said Shanelle Kellyman, who wears the sash Miss Emancipation Park in this her third pageant ever.
The grand coronation of Miss Jamaica World takes place on Sunday, November 2, 2025 at Karl Hendrickson Auditorium, Jamaica College.