BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA
MANZINI – Lecture halls and campus walkways might have been an unlikely hunting ground for Eswatini’s next cultural beauty but the search for the next Miss Cultural Heritage Queen has made the impossible possible by moving to Eswatini’s tertiary institutions this week as the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) took its registration drive directly to students.
On Wednesday, ENCAC held activations at the University of Eswatini (UNESW) Kwaluseni Campus and the Institute of Development Management (IDM), engaging students about the 2026/27 Miss Cultural Heritage pageant and assisting those interested in registering.
The outreach continues today at UNESWA’s Luyengo Campus, where the council is helping tertiary students access information about the pageant and complete their registrations. The campus activations come as the application deadline has been extended to 21 September 2026, giving prospective contestants additional time to enter the competition.
Taking the registration process to campuses allows ENCAC to reach young women who may be interested in pageantry but have not yet taken the step of applying. Beyond the competition itself, the Miss Cultural Heritage pageant places cultural identity at the centre of the search for its next queen. Contestants are expected to engage with and represent aspects of Eswatini’s heritage while developing their confidence and public presence.
The campus engagements also provide an opportunity for students to ask questions about the requirements and process before deciding whether to enter. With the registration period still open, ENCAC’s continued presence at tertiary institutions could bring new faces into the competition as the search moves closer to the September deadline.
The Luyengo activation forms part of the ongoing outreach, with students being encouraged to make use of the opportunity to register before applications close.
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