The brilliant Nicaraguan delegate won the ninth edition of the pageant organized in Italy with a project for reforestation and meliponiculture in a nature reserve.

MURO LECCESE (ITALY) – Miss Progress International 2023 is Odalis Soza, from Nicaragua, a marketing student who will turn 24 next November.

She won the ninth edition of Women for Progress – Supporting the World, which showcases the best projects on issues relating to the environment, health and human rights.

Odalis was inspired by the problems of families living in poverty in Nicaragua due to low agricultural productivity and proposed a project aiming at reforestation and meliponiculture in the Cerro Frio nature reserve, through the purchase of 7,500 plants to achieve the goal of sustainable development.

The show, organized by the Taranto-based association ‘In Progress’ chaired by Giusy Nobile and directed by Giuseppe Borrillo, took place at Mercato delle idee (market of ideas) of Muro Leccese, in the province of Lecce (ITALY) and was seen live streamed worldwide via jotv.it and Miss Progress International’s official social channels.

Other prizes were also awarded to Kana Sagara (Japan) for Health, Kimberly Luna (Mexico) for Human Rights, Nicole Herzan (Peru) for Cultural Integration, Trixia Parmerola (Spain) for Internet, Arya Naik (India) for the Best National Costume and Jildeen Ezeudu (Canada) for elegance.

The event enjoyed the moral patronage of the Italian Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, the U.N.A.R. (Anti-Discrimination Department of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers) and the Governor of the Apulia Region, Michele Emiliano.

All of the 20 Ambassadors of Progress and their travel companions from the five continents spent eleven days discovering the wonders of Salento, the southernmost area of Puglia, recently recognized by the National Geographic as one of the most beautiful regions to visit worldwide.
Antonio Zanata, official photographer of the competition, realized the new edition of Profiles of the world, with the contestants in their traditional costumes.

Choreographies were supervised by Giuseppe Carrieri and special guests were the singer Andrea Grassi, the illusionist Manisco and Miss Progress International 2022, Francesca Speranza who crowned her successor Odalis.

The event was also attended by Inner Wheel Club Tricase-Leuca president Rossana Rossoni, Tirana’s European University lecturer Stela Karaj, urologist Stefano Luzzago (European Institute of Oncology.

Main partners were the Messapia Hotel & Resort, Wella Professional for the hairstyle and FacePlace-Gil Cagnè for the make-up.

After the show, the mayor of Scorrano Mario Pendinelli greeted the contestants at the Museo delle Luminarie (museum of illuminations), pride of Salento.