The Miss Universe pageant will be held this year in December, in Eilat. This is the first time the State of Israel will host the competition, which is watched by over 600 million viewers all over the world. The host country of the competition receives extensive exposure which contributes to its branding and tourism industry.

Israel's ambassador to Bucharest, David Saranga, was invited by the Miss Universe Romania pageant to be a member of the judging team, which last weekend selected Romania's beauty queen for 2021. Ambassador Saranga is one of the most well-known figures in the Romanian media and in public opinion due to his command of the language, his television interviews, and the embassy's activities on social issues.

The Miss Universe pageant has set itself the goal in recent years of empowering the women participating in the pageant. Among the 25 participants will be a doctor, three law students, a journalist, a software engineer, a graduate of the military academy and more. A significant portion of the contestants engage in community activities.

“In the interviews we conducted with the candidates, we also emphasized their familiarity with the issues on the global agenda, such as immigration, climate and gender. Beyond the beauty criterion, which is important in itself in this competition, the charisma and the intellect of the candidate are also important,” said Ambassador Saranga.

The winner of Romania’s competition is 20-year-old Olympia Helena Coftas, a third-year history student who will represent the country in the Miss Universe pageant.

This year Romania's national outfit was designed by Israeli artist Aviad Arik Herman, who over the past decade has designed national dresses for a large number of countries in the Miss Universe pageant. Herman was chosen both for his accomplishments and for his ability to combine national motifs with luxury clothing.