85 Beauties Set Their Sights on 'Miss Earth 2008' Crown

Miss Korea Seol Hee Seo is among the 85 Miss Earth 2008 title aspirants from around the world who will compete on Nov. 9 at the Clark Expo amphitheater, Angeles City, Philippines.

Earlier, the 8th edition of the world's third most popular beauty pageant was rumored to be held in Seoul to highlight the tourism potential of South Korea. But Carousel Productions Inc., organizer of the event for the past eight years, decided to keep the Philippines as its coronation venue.

Carousel Productions President Ramon S. Monzon announced that this year's contestants will be more aggressive in promoting the causes of Miss Earth.

"The times call for urgent action. With the onslaught of global economic slowdown, we need to spread the message that adopting a simpler lifestyle, one that respects the boundaries of environment exploit, can help ease the effects of the crisis. All the delegates represent the countries which in one way or another are affected by said adversity," Monzon said.

Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Nicole Trisko of Canada said: "The kind of lifestyle we have usually leaves an impression we hardly see and they may be an impression that contributes to harmful effects in our environment. A small change in our daily routine can be a big contribution to our society's efforts in becoming more ecofriendly."

Aside from Miss Seol, the other aspirants are Japan's Akemi Fukumura, Macau's Qian Wei Na, Malaysia's Audrey Ng Sook Ling, Singapore's Ivy Leow Kian Peng, India's Tanvi Vyas, Indonesia's Hedhy Kurnianti, China's Zhou Yingkun, Chinese Taipei's Tsai Yin Yin, Thailand's Piyaporn Deejing and Philippines' Karla Henry.

Other candidates outside Asia include:

Rudina Suti (Albania), Camila Solorzano Ayusa (Argentina), Rachael Smith (Australia), Garnell Storr (Bahamas), Debby Gommeren (Belgium), Tsokye Tsomo Karchung (Bhutan), Carolina Urquiola (Bolivia), Alisa Zlatrevic (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Nametso Ngwako (Botswana), Tatiane Kelen Alves (Brazil);

Denise Conceicao Garrido (Canada), Mariana Rodriguez Merchan (Colombia), Olga Tsikala Yumba (Democratic Republic of Congo), Katissia Kouta (Republic of Congo), Wendy Cordero Sanchez (Costa Rica), Jessica Silva (Cuba), Hana Svobodova (Czech Republic); Diana Flores (Dominican Republic), Andrea Leon (Ecuador), Teresita Gomez (El Salvador), Caroline Elizabeth Duffy (United Kingdom), Kidan Tesfahun (Ethiopia), Mina Nikikila (Finland);

Charlotte Lagauzere (France), Sopiko Svimonishvili (Georgia),Dajana Schult (Germany), Sarah Adoley Addo (Ghana), Grigoria Antoniou (Greece); Jennifer Desbouiges (Guadaloupe), Jennifer Neves (Guam), Kenia Melissa Andrade (Honduras), Krisztina Polgar (Hungary), Lynn Moore (Israel), Caterina Pasquale (Italy), Simone Burke (Jamaica), Yllka Berisha (Kosovo), Anita Baltruna (Latvia),Pamela Saade (Lebanon), Marit Gayduo Woods (Liberia);

Ingrida Kazlauskaite (Lithuani), Nadia Neves Pereira (Luxembourg), Maria Galea (Malta), Violene Grainville (Martinique), Abigail Elizalde Romo (Mexico), Melanie Albertha de Laat (Netherlands), Rachel Hope Crofts (New Zealand), Thelma Rodriguez (Nicaragua); Ezinne Uko (Nigeria), Gemma Michelle Walker (North Ireland), Nosheen Idrees (Pakistan), Shassia Ubillus (Panama), Giulani Zevallos (Peru), Karolina Filipkowska (Poland), Ruxanda Popa (Romania), Anna Mezentseva (Russia), Cynthia Akazuba (Rwanda);

Courtney Saint John (Scotland), Bojana Traljic (Serbia), Martina Tothova (Slovak Republic), Sara Franceskin (Slovenia); Matapa Maila (South Africa), Nok Nora Duany (South Sudan), Adriana Reveron Moreno (Spain), Priscilla Yhap (Suriname), Fanny Blome(Sweden); Nasanin Nuri (Switzerland), Vahinetua Flaccadori (Tahiti), Miriam Odemba (Tanzania),Demet Karadeniz (Turkey), Sessilly Pratt (Turks-Caicos), Victor Daisy Nabagareka (Uganda), Jana Murrell (United States),Maria Daniela Torrealba Pacheco (Venezuela) and Jamie Lee Williams (Wales).

Organizers said the pageant will be broadcast on a delayed basis to countries in Asia, Middle East, Oceania, Europe and North America.