Ada Maria Ileana
Miss International Romania 2021/2022
By Traian Bădulescu
I realised that I’m not competing in Miss International in my name, as the sash reads “Romania”
Ada-Maria Ileana is Miss International Romania 2021/22 and will represent our country at the 60th edition of Miss International, this fall, in Japan. Along with Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Earth, this pageant is one of the top four international beauty pageants. At this high level of competition, the score is based on much more than physical appearance, and the girls attend an international boot camp for about 3 weeks. The winner the judges are looking for is an elegant, intelligent, charismatic woman, a voice of her generation in the world.
Ada is 24 years old, she is from Bucharest and she is finishing her Master’s degree in Public Policy, at the prestigious University College London. She has a degree in Security Studies and is passionate about international relations and diplomacy. For 5 years, Ada has been working as a Cambridge-certified English teacher. Her work with children made her want to improve the Romanian education system. Thus, she is currently creating an NGO that advocates for quality educational policies. Ada has previously represented Romania at two international beauty pageants: Miss Tourism World 2018 (China) and Miss Tourism International 2018 (Malaysia), where she won an international title.
Ada, you have a lot of preoccupations and projects, but you have not shied away from attending top Miss competitions. Unfortunately, in Romania, the true meaning of pageants is not yet understood. What does a Miss competition mean to you and what made you successful at this?
I can understand why most Romanians do not yet fully grasp what beauty pageants truly entail because for a long time I also believed in stereotypes. Due to the lack of visibility in our country, people can’t find out what a Miss competition is truly like. I agreed to participate in my first contest, Miss Universe Romania 2017, taking the experience strictly as a personal challenge. After that, I managed to represent Romania internationally. Only then did I understand how much work there is behind the scenes, how many months of training and what effort a month-long camp at a pageant requires. I realised that I don’t participate in my own name, as the sash reads “Romania”, not Ada, and my actions reflect on the image of the whole country. Fortunately, throughout my life, I focused on my education and personal development, which helped me a lot during international competitions. Out of 60-80 participants, each the most beautiful in her own country, it is normal to notice intelligence, charisma, education and great character. A Miss winner can not only be a beautiful face and body, but an accomplished woman, an inspiration to others. I believe that my prior achievements and aspirations that do not belong to the field of beauty make me a fierce competitor.
“I wore the authentic traditional Romanian costume on the international stages, but also on social media so that the whole world can admire the ancestral mastery of the Romanians”
What are your projects for 2022?
I have a lot of plans for 2022 and I intend to do as much as I can with the title of Miss International Romania. First of all, I will continue to promote the country as I have done so far. I wore the authentic traditional Romanian costume on the international stages, but also on social media so that the whole world can admire the ancestral mastery of the Romanians. New charity projects for the causes I believe in are coming up. I wish to inspire as many people as possible to donate and support the education of children from disadvantaged communities. In fact, this year I will set up my own NGO.
I also intend to be a good ambassador for Romanian-Japanese relations. That is why, together with the Center for Romanian-Japanese Studies, I will create a series of content to promote Japanese culture. Also, I will continue to study Japanese there.
You represent one of the top beauty pageants in the world, Miss International. You are Miss International Romania 2021/2022. What are your expectations regarding the final that will take place this year, in November, in Japan, where you will represent our country?
I have high expectations for myself because I know that I have all it takes to bring the Miss International crown home for the first time. In a contest of this caliber, the final night is just the culmination of all the preparations and work. I want to set foot in Japan 100% ready to win and give my best during the boot camp and the preliminary rounds. Of course, there are a lot of strong competitors and there are countries that support their representatives much more than ours. However, I believe that this has never stopped the Romanians from achieving great performances.
Besides your professional projects, what other hobbies do you have?
I’ve been singing since I was 3 years old. In fact, I graduated from singing and piano lessons at the Bucharest School of Arts. Even if I don’t focus on it anymore, music is still the main way I express my feelings and emotions. Besides that, I enjoy painting and I’m passionate about calligraphy.
You will honorably represent Romania as an ambassador of beauty, intelligence and creativity. How do you plan to promote our country?
In addition to promoting traditional costumes on social media, I am always pleased to showcase the creations of Romanian designers. In fact, my goal is to wear only Romanian designers during the Miss International pageant. In 2022, I want to promote Romania in terms of tourism, to show the world the beauty and history of our country’s landmarks.
“Before you become a Miss, it would be good to know who you are and what you want to achieve in life”
What advice can you give to a young Romanian woman who wants to follow your path and compete in beauty pageants?
Especially up to the age of 18, the minimum age for participation in any important Miss competition, I advise any girl to develop personally and professionally. To succeed at this level, you need to be a confident young woman, and this confidence comes from knowing your own qualities and flaws and from a desire to be better every day. Before you become a Miss, it would be good to know who you are and what you want to achieve in life. From there, all you have to do is sign up for one of the national selections and prove to the jurors that you are the best choice.
