Miss Universe 2000

Background

Location and date

Nicosia was announced as host city of the pageant on 1 July 1999. The country invested $3.5 million in the event, in the hope that the publicity would increase tourism, the island's main industry.

Conservative Cypriot church leaders protested the decision to hold the pageant on the island, claiming that millennium celebrations of the birth of Christ were more important and that the event was scandalous and would promote female nudity.

Selection of participants

Seventy-nine countries and territories competed in the pageant. Four candidates were appointed to their position to replace the original winner.

Replacements

Miss Universe Hungary 2000 first runner-up Izabella Kiss replaced Miss Universe Hungary 2000 Ágnes Nagy as the representative of their country for personal reasons. Miss Italia 1999 Manila Nazzaro was slated to compete in this edition. However, the Miss Italia Organization lost their Miss Universe license due to objections of the Miss Universe Organization that the contest was opened to married women and mothers, and the license was transferred to Italian actress Clarissa Burt who organized The Miss for Miss Universe contest which will select the new Italian representative to Miss Universe. Annalisa Guadalupi won the pageant. Miss Russia 1999 first runner-up Svetlana Goreva was appointed to represent Russia as Miss Russia 1999 Anna Kruglova is underage, and Miss Russia 1997–1998 Yelena Rogozhina won the Miss Europe 1999 contest.

Initially, Miss Venezuela 1999 Martina Thorogood was chosen to represent their country at both Miss Universe and Miss World 1999. However, Miss Universe officials objected to this as Thorogood placed first runner-up at Miss World 1999 and there was a chance that she could become Miss World should the winner resign or lose her crown. Miss Universe officials also objected the participation of Miss Venezuela 1999 first runner-up Norkys Batista because she was not the national official titleholder. Finally, a smaller pageant was held among delegates who had competed in previous Miss Venezuela competitions, and Claudia Moreno was chosen to compete at Miss Universe.

Returns and withdrawals

This edition marked the returns of Sint Maarten who last competed in 1982; Denmark who last competed in 1996, and Bulgaria, Guam, the Netherlands, Norway, and Zimbabwe who last competed in 1999.

Austria, Barbados, Bonaire, Guyana, Nicaragua, Suriname, and the United States Virgin Islands withdrew for undisclosed reasons. Miss Cook Islands 1999, Liana Scott, and Miss Zambia 2000, Sidonia Mwape, withdrew due to lack of sponsorship. Miss Curaçao 2000, Jozaïne Wall, withdrew for being underage. Michelle Boyer Sablan of the Northern Mariana Islands withdrew for personal reasons. Miss Turkey 2000 first runner-up, Gamze Özçelik was replaced by Cansu Dere for being underage. However, Dere was forbidden by the Turkish government to travel to the Miss Universe 2000 pageant in Cyprus, due to the current tense Turkish-Cypriot relationships over Northern Cyprus.

Results

Placements

Special awards

Pageant

Selection committee

Final telecast

Source:

• Tony Robbins
• Catherine Bell
• André Leon Talley
• Kim Alexis
• Cristián de la Fuente
• Debbie Allen
• Serena Altschul

Contestants

Seventy-nine contestants competed for the title.

Notes

References

References

1. The event was televised live at 08:00 pm [[Time in Cyprus. local time]] ([[UTC+03:00]]) in various broadcasters around the world. For the United States, it was tape delayed to make way for the primetime broadcast.
2. (1 July 1999). "Cyprus to host Miss Universe in millennium". Agence France Press.
3. Kambas, Michele. (1 July 1999). "Cyprus to host Miss Universe next year-official". Reuters.
4. (4 August 1999). "Church and state feud over Miss Universe contest". Associated Press.
5. (6 September 1999). "L' ultima Miss del secolo eletta tra errori e fischi - la Repubblica.it".
6. (6 September 1999). "Non sfilerà per l'Universo". La Stampa.
7. (15 January 2000). "Pretty maidens in a row vie for Russian beauty title". New Straits Times.
8. (28 December 2001). "Russian Beauty To Vie For Miss Europe-2001 Title In Beirut".
9. (11 September 1999). "Miranda ganó Miss Venezuela".
10. (6 December 1999). "Miss India crowned Miss World amid feminist demonstrations". Reading Eagle.
11. (28 March 2000). "Venezuela elects new representative to Miss Universe contest". Associated Press.
12. (24 April 2000). "Miss Universe Nederland". Dutch Weekly.
13. (1 December 1999). "Miss South Pacific 1999-2000 in Tonga".
14. (22 October 1999). "NMBPA CONFIRMS Sablan out, Hill in - Saipan News, Headlines, Events, Ads - Saipan Tribune".
15. (29 October 1999). "Beauty pageant controversy NMBPA sets the record straight".
16. "MİLLİYET YAŞAM SAYFALARI".
17. (1 June 2023). "Cansu Dere, la reina de belleza turca que se convirtió en actriz".
18. (14 May 2000). "Indian woman crowned Miss Universe". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer]].
19. Lo, Ricky. (1 February 2017). "France 1st grand slam winner in world beauty pageants".
20. Lo, Ricky. (12 May 2000). "Ruffa coming home on June 5".
21. "2000 Miss Universe: Discover Cyprus & Meet the Judges".
22. (2 December 2000). "Angola: Miss Brazil Arrives in Luanda".
23. (29 April 2000). "Photo: Miss Universe Pageant".
24. (18 April 2000). "Miss Australia". Manila Standard.
25. (8 August 2023). "Ex-Miss België Joke Van de Velde hervat studies voor kleuterleidster: “De media bieden niet genoeg zekerheid”".
26. (3 April 2000). "New York Belizean crowned Miss Belize".
27. (29 July 2017). "El título les dio alegrías, trabajo y fama que aún saborean".
28. Princewill, Nimi. (3 June 2022). "First African-born Miss France investigated over apartment gift from late Gabon president".
29. (12 January 2000). "Miss Deutschland 2000: Die Allerschönste im Land?". Der Spiegel.