Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjær Theilvig. Image: Instagram/@missuniverse Indigenous group Sambilog-Balik Bugsuk Movement is urging newly crowned Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjaer Theilvig to speak up about the alleged exploitation of marginalized communities in the Philippines, as the crown she is wearing is made from the “suffering” of indigenous peoples in Bugsuk Island, Balabac, Palawan. On Nov.
13 in Mexico City, the Miss Universe organization unveiled the crown that will be used in this year’s pageant. Called “ Lumière de l’Infini ” (Light of Infinity), the crown was created by Filipino craftsmen using rare South Sea pearls harvested off the coasts of Palawan, which was the first time in the pageant’s history that a crown came from the Philippines. In the open letter posted on their official Facebook page, the group, which received the backing of other indigenous leaders and supporters worldwide, demanded the new Miss Universe use her platform to address the issue faced by the marginalized communities in Palawan.
“Dear Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, congratulations on your remarkable victory as Miss Universe! Your achievement is a celebration of empowerment and a symbol of hope for many, particularly those fighting for justice and dignity. Today, we call on your platform and influence to shine a light on an urgent and critical issue affecting marginalized communities in the Philippines,” they began their letter. “Your crown, while a beacon of triumph, c.