Vietnam's representative at Miss World 2026, Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc, has emerged as one of the standout contestants in the competition's Beauty With A Purpose challenge, securing a place among the leading humanitarian projects announced on August 31.
Bao Ngoc has reached the Top 24 in the Beauty With A Purpose round at Miss World 2026 (Photo: Miss World).
The event highlights community initiatives developed or supported by contestants in their home countries and is considered one of the most prestigious segments of the Miss World competition.
Under the contest rules, the two highest-ranked contestants in Beauty With A Purpose advance directly to the Top 20, while the overall winner earns an automatic place in the Top 6 during the final.
Bao Ngoc presented Gen Zero-Youth for Sustainable Development, a project she founded to empower young people to address social issues, particularly climate change and sustainable development.
Rather than simply encouraging lifestyle changes, the initiative focuses on equipping young people with knowledge, skills and opportunities to participate directly in community action.
Through educational programmes, forums, conferences and practical activities, the project seeks to improve awareness of climate change while encouraging young people to develop initiatives and contribute to meaningful change.
Bao Ngoc launched Gen Zero before competing at Miss World 2026. The project has since provided a platform for bringing the perspectives of Vietnamese youth to international discussions.
The contestant has also participated in climate-related activities linked to COP29 and a range of sustainable development programmes.
Judges noted that the project's implementation before her Miss World campaign helped give her presentation a clear and authentic narrative.
Bao Ngoc advanced to the Top 6 Beauty With A Purpose projects in the Asia-Pacific region alongside representatives from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Nepal, Malaysia and Bangladesh.
She was also named among the Top 24 humanitarian projects worldwide at Miss World 2026, strengthening her position ahead of the final.
"I hope to achieve the best possible result. But more than a crown, I hope to share a meaningful, sincere and inspiring story," Bao Ngoc said.
Beauty With A Purpose has previously brought success to Vietnamese contestants. In 2017, Do My Linh finished runner-up in the humanitarian challenge with a project supporting children in remote mountain communities, helping her secure a place in the competition's Top 40.
Bao Ngoc (right) with five contestants from the Asia-Pacific region whose charity projects were judged outstanding (Photo: World Beauties).
Miss World 2026 is now entering its final stages, with 111 contestants set to compete in the grand final on September 5 in Khanh Hoa Province.
Bao Ngoc's campaign has so far been regarded as one of Vietnam's strongest performances at the pageant. She has already secured a direct place in the Top 40 after winning the Asia-Pacific Top Model title and has also reached the Top 23 in the Talent competition and the Top 20 in the Head-to-Head Challenge.
Born in 2001, Bao Ngoc stands 1.86 metres tall and graduated with distinction in Business Administration from the International University of Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City. She was named first runner-up at Miss World Vietnam 2022 before winning the title of Miss Intercontinental 2022.
Vietnamese fans have high hopes for her performance. Previous Vietnamese contestants who achieved notable results at Miss World include Lan Khue, who reached the Top 11, Luong Thuy Linh, who finished in the Top 12, and Do Thi Ha, who placed in the Top 13.
