The inaugural all-stars edition of Miss Grand International (MGI) concluded in an extravagant coronation night in Thailand on Saturday, with Vanessa Pulgarin of Colombia hailed as the winner.
Pulgarin has become the first-ever woman to win the “revolutionary” and “unprecedented” MGI All Stars, which brought back a total of 56 beauty queens from various national and international pageants to the global stage in Bangkok.
During the question-and-answer portion, the 34-year-old model was asked about her remarkable qualities by Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee, who said: “What qualities do you possess that make you a star and allow everyone to see it clearly?”
Biggest dream
“I’m born for this, this is my biggest dream. Doesn’t matter what door is closing, you need to trust in yourself,” said Pulgarin.
“Doesn’t matter if a person say ‘No, you can’t do it.’ You can. Because we are power, we are disciplined. And I’m here because I want to win MGI All Stars. Because I’m born for the stage.
“I’m born for the connection with the people. I’m here because I work hard for my dreams,” Pulgarin added.
She ended her winning response by saying “Khaawp-khun kha,” which is the Thai word for “Thank you.”
Pulgarin’s runners-up include Ghana’s Faith Maria Porter and Huong Giang Nguyen of Vietnam.
Mariana Beckova of Czech Republic and Gazini Ganados of the Philippines have made it to the top five.
Who is Vanessa Pulgarin?
Born September 13, 1991 in the city of Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, Pulgarin is an accomplished model, who currently studies Social Communication and Journalism at Pontifical Bolivarian University.
She entered pageantry at the age of 25, winning Miss Antioquia 2016, which allowed her to represent her department at Miss Colombia 2017.
She was a runner-up, clinching the Miss Columbia International title.
She represented Colombia at Miss International 2017, held at the Tokyo Dome City Hall in Japan and was unplaced.
Pulgarin reached another milestone as a beauty queen when she was crowned Miss Universe Colombia 2025. She represented Colombia at Miss Universe 2025 in Pak Kret, Thailand, and reached the Top 12.
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Special edition
The MGI All Stars is a special edition of the Miss Grand International first announced to the public in December 2025.
Organisers hope for the spin-off to return annually, although details on the succeeding renditions remain unclear.
“For the first time in the history of global pageantry, Miss Grand International unveils a revolutionary stage: MGI All Stars, a competition that transcends boundaries, redefines excellence and unites the most extraordinary women from across the world,” reads a notice on the event’s portal.
“MGI All-Stars is a bold and unprecedented concept, bringing together elite contestants from various international platforms, including former titleholders, fan favourites, standout finalists and remarkable women whose journeys have left a lasting impact on audiences worldwide,” it says.
The pageant officially kicked off with a Runaway Challenge on May 25, followed by a Portrait Challenge on May 26.
Two-round preliminary competitions transpired on May 27 and 28 respectively, leading to the Grand Final on May 30.
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Ian Trinidad 
Newsjustnews writers 
Hyacinth Estrada