Over the years, Ghanaians and viewers across the world have seen and witnessed a number of pageants, each with its own theme and objectives.

However one that will surely touch every mind and soul as it rolls out in the country next week will be Miss Earth Ghana 2011.

Research has revealed that human activities are the main cause of the rapid changing world climate, with the burning of fossil fuels taking over the atmosphere. With the continuous rise of these activities, most of the world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, will suffer hardships.

As this happens, the poorer countries will continue to experience drought and declining water supply, thereby exposing millions of people to increasing risk of water shortage, illness and deaths and fire outbreaks and a rise in malnutrition.

It is against this background that the world is desperately spending millions of dollars organizing fora and educative programmes aimed at creating the necessary awareness to make a global call on the world to show collective interest in the fight against global warming.

In line with this and in support of what corporate world is doing as lead agencies setting aside monies and undertaking socially responsible programmes to save the environment, Carousel Production Inc. based in The Philippines, owners and organizers of Miss Earth International, has been hosting the international delegates including Ghanaian representatives over the years to contest in the pageant.

The contest, Miss Earth International, initiated from the Philippines, is an advocacy pageant against environmental degradation on the platform of beauty.

Since its inception, the contest has always been held in the Philippines with about 80 participants from around the world each year to fight against activities that destroy the environment through physical demonstrations.

Carousel Productions organized and launched the first Miss Earth beauty pageant in 2001 to actively promote the preservation of the environment.

Those who participate in the pageant are involved with humanitarian and environmental causes. The pageant winner is expected to be involved in international projects which are also promoted during the pageant’s broadcast.

Since the Miss Earth pageant has an environmental cause, it is primarily looking for young women who will stand for the protection and preservation of the planet. These women are pageant winners or chosen by national Miss Earth directors from different nations including Ghana.

Since 2003, Ghana has always been represented though there has not been a national contest under the title Miss Earth Ghana. Franchise holders 1st Royal Events have ensured a ceaseless participation of Ghana in the contest and for the first time in Ghana a national event will be out-doored in Accra on November 5, 2011, after which the contest will be held on February 25, 2012 to select Miss Earth Ghana 2012 to represent the country at the world event next year.

Miss Earth Ghana 2012, which is being organized jointly by Marketing Bees Network and Event Galore, is aimed at driving home the message for the preservation of mother earth and also serve as an opportunity for young women with beauty and brains to be part of the advocacy.

As part of the queen’s project when in office, she will be required to embark on a nationwide campaign for the preservation of the environment and spearhead a documentary on the environmental situation in Ghana.

Over the years, some of the beautiful delegates who have been tutored and groomed to represent Ghana are Janet Agbeli in 2004, Adwoa Akoto in 2005, Ghana’s Most Beautiful winners in 2008 and 2009.

The winner of the pageant is bestowed the title Miss Earth. Her runners-up are also given titles named after the other natural elements: Miss Fire (equivalent to third runner-up), Miss Water (second runner-up), and Miss Air (first runner-up). Miss Earth is the only one of the ‘Big Four’ pageants which has individual titles for the runners-up.

This year’s world finals will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from November 20 to December 6 and Ghana will be represented at the event by Patricia Ama Amoah Anti, winner of Ghana’s Most Beautiful 2010.