The Intersections & Beyond: Miss France Iris Mittenaere is Miss Universe 2016

Miss France Iris Mittenaere was declared Miss Universe 2016 at the grand coronation night held at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on January 30, 2017 (8:00am in the Philippines; January 29 evening in USA). Mittenaere bested other 85 contestants from across the globe.

Hosted by Steve Harvey for the second time, this is the 65th edition of the pageant. Model Ashley Graham served as the backstage/behind-the-scene host.

Photo Credits: Miss Universe Organization, Missosology & Sash Factor,
Philippine Star, Miss Universe Fans, Miss Universe King, ABS-CBN News, etc...

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines crowned her new successor.

The telecast judging panel was composed of: Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres (Puerto Rico), Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes (Angola), Mickey Boardman, Cynthia Baley, Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen (India) and Francine LeFrac.

Miss Universe 2016: Top 3 Finalists
Colombia
France
Haiti

Top 3 had Q&A portion.

Perfomers:

Boyz II Men

Top 3 Finalists: Question & Answer Round

QUESTION: "Name something over the course of your life that you failed at, and tell us what you learned from that experience."

Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar: I think that many times, one makes mistakes for many things. During moments when you may not accept someone due to their differences, to not accept them due to their sexual preferences, and to not be capable of accepting their error. I think any of those experiences gives you the opportunity to have strength and value and principles.

Miss France Iris Mittenaere: I've failed several times in my life, so I thought that I failed the first time that I went out on a casting, because my name wasn't on the list. The very next day, I found that I was in a new book. So I think that when you fail, you have to be elevated, you have to try again, and keep going. If tonight, I'm not one of the winners, I will still have the great honor of being one of the 3 finalists, so I think that I have failed before, but I think this is a great first opportunity.

Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier: About 7 years ago, I survived the earthquake. I feel I was failing myself because I was not living my dreams, I was living day by day in that earthquake, it was a bad event, but I choose to be a very positive person and learn a great lesson from it. Because if I am here today, it's because I am living my dreams.

Miss Universe 2016: Top 6 Finalists
France
Kenya
Colombia
Philippines
Thailand
Haiti

Top 6 had Q&A portion.

Top 6 Finalists: Question & Answer Round

Miss Philippines Maxine Medina
Question: What is the most significant change you've seen in the world in the last 10 years?

Answer: The last 10 years of being here in the world is that I saw all the people being in one event like this in Miss Universe, and it's something big to us that we are one, as one nation, we are all together.

Miss Kenya Mary Esther
Question: Arguably, no US president has had an active first 10 days in office. What are you most excited about, and what most concerns you when it comes to the presidency of Donald Trump?

Answer: Politics...let me just start again. Donald Trump, having been elected as president of the United States may not have been the choice of many people living in the United States because of the divided support system for the outgoing president Barack Obama, who was supporting an upcoming woman president, who was supposed to be a woman president, Hillary Clinton. So so many people oppose his position, but I feel that once he took up his position, he was able to unify the entire nation.

Miss Thailand Chalita "Namtan" Suansane

Question: Name a current or past world leader whom you admire and why.

Answer: Mabuhay, Philippines! For me that would be the king of Thailand. His Majesty has been working tirelessly on behalf of the Thai people ever since I was born. For all the Thai people, His Majesty has been like a father to us. Thank you very much.

Miss France Iris Mittenaere

Question: Given today's worldwide refugee crisis, do countries have an obligation to accept refugees, or do they have a right to close their borders?

Answer: The country should have the right to open or close their borders. Throughout the world, people can choose to have the borders open or closed. In Europe we have open borders. In France we want to have the most globalization that we can, we want to have the biggest exchange of people that we can. Maybe someday that will change, but now we have open borders. Having open borders allows us to travel more through the world, and to find out more about what's out there in the world.

Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier

Question: On January 21, an estimated 4.8 million people marched worldwide for human rights, women's rights, and other issues. If you were able to participate, what would you have been marching for?

Answer: One of the women I admire in the world is Eleanor Roosevelt because she fought so much for human rights and I feel like that's what we need in the world. We are just one. A hundred thousand years ago, 6 species of human lived in the world. Now we are just one. And we all need each other, and we need to respect each other.

Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar

Question: Why do we believe violence is so prevalent in today's society and what can we do about it?

Answer: I come from a country that does have violence and this is my reference point. And although there are presidents who don't get along with others, we work together to be able to unite. Campaigns, respect, and inclusivity to be able to have a social transformation that will educate our children.