The past year saw significant changes and huge revelations in the global pageant arena. These became trending topics worldwide across all media platforms. Pageant analysts and experts hailed these transformations as a whole as groundbreaking.

Here's a look back at the scene-stealers and history-makers in the pageant circuit.

MISS UNIVERSE

Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele announced that the 72nd Miss Universe would be held in El Salvador in late 2023. It would be the first pageant competition in Central America since Panama hosted in 2003 and the first in El Salvador since 1975, also held in the same arena, Gimnasio Nacional José Adolfo Pineda.

First Filipino-American Miss Universe R'Bonney Gabriel crowned Nicaragua's Sheynnis Palacios as the new Miss Universe. As the 72nd edition winner of the most prestigious pageant, the 23-year-old communication degree holder and model Palacios bested 83 delegates, becoming the first Nicaraguan woman to win the crown.

The 72nd edition was considered by pageant fans and enthusiasts as a history-making competition for its diversity and inclusivity.

Portuguese model and flight attendant Marina Machete marked a milestone by advancing to the semifinals as the first transgender woman.

As the pageant seeks to celebrate all body types, Nepalese-American body-positivity advocate Jane Dipika Garrett stepped onto the runway as the first proudly plus-sized semifinalist, and the first Miss Nepal in the top 20 since 2018.

The pageant saw the participation of two married women and mothers for the first time — Colombian model and television host Camila Avella and Guatemalan model and entrepreneur Michelle Cohn. Married women and mothers have been banned from competing or disqualified in the past.

The competition also marked the debut of Pakistani model Erica Robin who was placed among the top 20 semifinalists and the first to wear a burkini in the competition.

As Miss Universe dismantled another barrier, the age limit, Bulgaria's Yuliia Pavlikova became the oldest delegate to compete at 30.

South African model Bryoni Govender is the first in her family to go to the university and get a law degree while American model Noelia Voight is the first American-Venezuelan to compete.

Part of the selection committee was Filipino-American physician and United States Navy retired flag officer Eleanor Concepcion "Connie" Mariano. A graduate of the Uniformed Services University of Medicine, Mariano is the first Filipino-American to reach the rank of Rear Admiral in the US Navy.

Miss Universe 1977 Janelle Commissiong was the first black winner in the chronology of Miss Universe and the Miss Photogenic award during the 26th edition where the pageant was held in the Dominican Republic for the first time.

Paraguayan fashion model Nadia Ferreira was named as Miss Universe 2021 first runner-up, the highest placement for the country in the history of the pageant to date.

American fashion model Halima Aden was known for being the first woman to wear a hijab in the Miss Minnesota USA 2016 and was also the first model to wear a hijab and burkini on the cover of a magazine.

MISS INTERNATIONAL

Germany's Jasmin Selberg, the first European winner since Spain's Alejandra Andreu who won the title in 2008, crowned Venezuela's Andrea Rubio as the new Miss International.

At the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, Rubio bested 69 other delegates to win the ninth crown for Venezuela — the most wins in the history of the Japan-based pageant. The 61st edition winner Rubio is a model with a degree in audiovisual communications and multimedia.

This edition marked the debut of Bangladeshi women and gender student Farzana Yasmin, Mosotho accounting student Boitumelo Sehlotho and Pakistani psychology major Misbah Arshad.

MISS EARTH

Korea's Mina Sue Choi crowned Albania's Drita Ziri as the new Miss Earth at the end of the competition held at Van Phúc City in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Choi and Ziri became the first titleholders from their respective countries and the first crown in the Big Four international beauty pageants for Korea and Albania.

The 18-year-old model and television host Ziri bested 84 delegates to become the 23rd edition winner and youngest titleholder. It was the first time Albania won the pageant, and its first crown in the Big Four international beauty pageants. At 18, Ziri became the youngest winner of Miss Earth.

The competition also marked the debut of the Long Beach Pearl crown made of gold and 87 pearls and gemstones.

MAN HOT STAR INTERNATIONAL

A history was made after the back-to-back victory of RJ de Vera as Man Hot Star International 2023. Inaugural winner, Jovy Bequillo crowned De Vera at the end of the competition held at Sansuk Grand Hall, Bangsaen Heritage Hotel, Thailand.

"Well, the advice that I could give to a lot of people is to not give up. You know, I've been in the pageantry for how many years. It took 10 years in order for me to be where I am right now. And yes, life is hard. We might suffer from the challenges that we might experience. But when life knocks me down, I'll make sure that I'll get back on my feet and keep moving forward. Because I believe that success is not counted by the time you win, but success is counted by the time you stand up when you fall," De Vera said on inspiring young generation as Man Hot Star International 2023.

The gender-based violence advocate De Vera bested other seven good-looking men to win in the land of smiles. "Violence against women is an act of gender-based violence. And it is an issue that affects everyone. And as a gentleman, I think what I want to say is that we must treat everyone identically, no matter what gender we have. And treat everyone with the same respect, understanding, and kindness. And not only our women but, of course, the LGBT+ community as well. Because at the end of the day, we are all human beings. We have feelings, and we have emotions. And we are all equal. Thank you," De Vera shared.