Top 5 finalist, Vivian Jensen, represented Netherlands in the 1992 Miss Universe Show in Bangkok. Twenty-five years later, Vivian came up with the brilliant idea of having a Miss Universe 1992 reunion with all of the former contestants.

As conversations started to stir, Vivian, Gabriella Escobar Ventura, Miss Universe Uruguay, Melissa Salazer, Miss Universe El Salvador, and Alicia Green, Miss Universe British Virgin Islands began working together on the initiative and others began to pitch as necessary. They set the reunion location for Spain and with the help of Miss Universe Spain, Virginia Garcia, the plan began to fall into place.

Below is our Q & A with Miss Universe Netherlands 1992, Vivian Jensen and Miss Universe British Virgin Islands, Alicia Green:

Q: Being a part of the Miss Universe Competition, you meet a lot of women who you become close with you through the sisterhood. What was the response from the previous titleholders when you first came up with the idea of having a reunion?

Vivian: Right from the start, everybody in the private Facebook group got enthusiastic. Started to share old photos and started talking about where to do the reunion and when. I think the first time the topic came up must have been 3 years ago. So the 25-year reunion gave everybody time to save money and organize what they needed in order to be there.

Q: You’ve been planning this reunion for a while now, can you share why you wanted to put an event like this together?

Vivian: 25 years ago, we could only exchange information through memory books and addresses since there was no Internet to stay in touch. I had been looking for these women for 8 years and it took years to Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram with the help from some pageant fans. There is no one else that understands what it means to be in a competition and experience a Miss Universe show other than your pageant sisters. I really wanted to see and talk to them again and hear in real life what their journey in life was like.

Q: How long has it been since you’ve seen the other women? And what was it like seeing everyone for the first time?
Vivian: Lump-in-my-throat-tears-in-my-eyes-emotion! I had a deep sense of gratitude that these women had taken the time to come all the way to Barcelona!

Alicia: For me, it was also very emotional and I was very excited about meeting all the women after 25 years. I also want to note that nothing like this has ever been done in the history of Miss Universe.

Q: Any favorite memories you can share from the event?

Vivian: The sisterhood, the feeling of forming a ‘tribe’ amongst. Also the laughter, I laughed so much and I have new laughing wrinkles to prove it

Alicia: My favorite moment was also the laughter and to see how we came together as if we have been in touch all this time.

Q: Since the event was in Spain – was the group able to explore the country together?

Vivian: We did explore the city, but we only had 4 full days so we did not travel the country.
Alicia: Most of the time was spent catching up with each other and reminiscing on the pageant. There was a lot of sharing to do after 25 years.

Q: With the success of the reunion, are you planning on having another down the road?

Vivian: Yes! I had mentioned we do this again at our 30-year reunion, but the ladies thought that was too far away. So we are thinking about doing this again in 2 to 3 years.

Q: What were you most surprised about during the reunion?

Vivian: The friendship, the acceptance of each individual exactly like they are and for all that they have been through, or still going through, in life. It didn’t matter what you ranked in the competition, it was just us, twenty-two former contestants having a blast.

Q: 25 years later, I’m sure a lot has changed! How do you think competing in the pageant helped shape the women they are today?

Vivian: That is a good question. I think for most of us, competing in this event has instilled a respect for people from all cultures. We are confident within ourselves and we don’t compete in life with others. There is no need to put others down to make us feel better about ourselves. That is a powerful asset, as it helps us grow and lift up people around us.

Alicia: As we looked back 25 years ago at our youth and innocence, we all were trying to grab the prestigious crown. Today we are all very successful women, feeling better about our journey and ourselves. We all seem to be on a path of to help uplift women and people around us. It gave me a better understanding of togetherness and world peace.

List of the countries who attended the reunion:
Aruba, Australia, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Chez Republic, El Salvador, Curacao, Great Britain, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Ireland, Namibia, Netherland, Norway, Panama, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Uruguay

Follow their journey here: https://www.instagram.com/missuniversereunion1992/

Source: Miss Universe Organization

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