The first Miss & Mrs Cross Continent event in Dublin showed how a pageant can combine cultural diversity, leadership and practical community education.
Twenty-four women from seven countries participated in the programme, which was attended by approximately 450 guests at the Church of Scientology & Community news eu parlament Centre.
The organisers worked with The Truth About Drugs Ireland to include an educational element alongside the pageant and cultural performances.
Before taking part in the stage programme, contestants and visitors toured a Truth About Drugs exhibition and learned about the effects of commonly abused substances. Contestants were encouraged to prepare by studying drug-prevention materials, and a number of them completed every available online course.
The Mayor of South Dublin praised the contestants for using their public platform to promote informed choices and stronger communities.
The afternoon also included Irish, Indian and Indonesian dance performances, reflecting the international character of the gathering.
Niveditha Vudayagiri, a software engineer with a master’s degree in artificial intelligence, was crowned Miss Cross Continent 2026. The other leading awards went to Fortunate Lindokuhle Masina and Yuki Yuliatin.
The event demonstrated how multicultural celebrations can also provide a platform for education, responsibility and positive community engagement. A fuller report on the Dublin multicultural pageant and drug-education initiative provides additional details about the contestants, performances and educational programme.