Wareus beat about 113 beauty queens and scooped the title of first princess and the attendant benefits. In the event that the winner of the title cannot perform her duties, Wareus will take over as Miss World. She was not crowned queen, but the fact that she was one step away must be commended. Botswana has tirelessly sent representatives to Miss World contest, but the country's beauties have made very little impact at the event. But this time round, Wareus has done us proud and once again proved the potential of the country's beauties to compete with the best in the world. This is the first time a Botswana queen has made it this far in the Miss World pageant. Wareus nearly emulated the exploits of Mpule Kwelagobe, who won the equally prestigious Miss Universe title in 1999. Just when people were forgetting Kwelagobe's accomplishment, Wareus reminded the world that Botswana has young intelligent and beautiful women. A good performance at beauty pageants has the potential of selling a country, and giving it recognition globally, contrary to the view of those who might look at it as just entertainment. Beauty queens have been used as goodwill ambassadors and activists in different international fora. A case in point is the prestige and honour bestowed on Kwelagobe after she emerged top of the world in 1999. After winning Miss Universe title in 1999, she was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations to focus on youth and HIV/AIDS issues. She made a mark by addressing the United States House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Financial Services. She testified on the socioeconomic impact of AIDS in Africa and proposed a bill to set up a World Bank AIDS prevention trust fund.
Kwelagobe, also addressed the 4th United Nations World Youth Summit in Dakar, Senegal; the United Nations General Assembly in New York; the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa; the Third United Nations Least Developed Countries Conference (Brussels, Belgium). She moderated an AIDS panel during the Congressional Black Caucus at the invitation of Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Kwelagobe was granted the Jonathan Mann Health Human Rights Award by the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC). She was honoured alongside the principal administrator of the European Commission HIV programme, Lieve Fransen, and former American president Bill Clinton. In 2003, she was chosen as a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) by the World Economic Forum. This put in the class of nearly 500 individuals from business, politics, public interest groups, the media, arts and sciences who have granted the honour. Such people include Bill Gates, ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Michael Dell and Bono. It is our hope that Wareus, will follow in the footsteps of Kwelagobe and use her status as first princess in the Miss World. Bravo once again to Wareus; Miss Botswana license holders, Botswana Council of Women (BCW); Miss Botswana organisers, 63 Entertainment and Leap Frog for a job well done.
