Miss Indonesia Kevin Lilliana took home the 2017 Miss International crown in Tokyo, Japan on November 14, succeeding our very own Kylie Verzosa. This year’s Philippine bet, Mariel de Leon, failed to make it to the Top 15 of the competition.
The 21-year-old Indonesian beauty bested 71 other candidates from all over the world, and delivered a heartfelt speech:
“‘Bhinneka Tunggal Ika‘ is my country’s philosophy. It means ‘unity in diversity, different but one.’ Indonesia is one of the few countries that have the diversity of culture and languages and beliefs. That is why I am a big believer of ‘unity in diversity.’ This world is a beautiful place because of the wide variety rather than the similarities. If I were to become Miss International, I will spread these positive values and the culture of accepting and respecting the differences. Because I know that every country has their own cultures, character, and identity. Therefore, let’s build a perfect solution by learning understanding, and appreciating each other.”
