Catherine W Gichuki
Doha
Miss Heritage Global 2022 Abigail Pierre-Louis has said that the aspect of Qatar’s heritage and culture she likes the most is the ability to stand strong by traditional values while still advancing and keeping abreast in an age of globalisation and innovation.
Abigail Pierre-Louis, who scooped the highly coveted crown recently in South Africa and hails from Haiti, was in Doha on a visit. Miss Heritage Global is about celebrating the heritage and diverse cultures of the world.
Abigail Pierre-Louis told Qatar Tribune that Qatari people have a lot of pride in their culture and heritage as they are proving to be forward thinking while never forgetting about their roots. “Religion, community and shared values are very much intact. The culture invests in museums, the arts, and even the Qatar National Library has a heritage library embedded in it.”
Talking about Qatar’s UNESCO heritage sites like Al Zubara Fort, she said she hasn’t visited them as yet but her peer Nayla Al-Thani from the Culture, Heritage, and Identity Department of the Qatar Foundation has told her about the sites including Imam Abdul Wahab Mosque and Al Zubarah.
“Imam Abdul Wahab mosque is still used to offer prayers on a daily basis. It was built by Qatar’s founder and gets very crowded during Ramadan months. It is the largest mosque in Qatar and the state grand mosque, with a capacity to accommodate more than 30,000 worshippers. To have a heritage site that is currently in use to such an extent says a lot about the culture and Qatar’s mission to preserve culture. Al Zubarah is a typical Arab fort that now serves as a museum to showcase urban trading and pearl diving traditions. This fort exhibits past traditions and speaks on the value placed on the past and knowing one’s roots. I love the push to preserve culture and educate others about where their roots lie.”
Talking about what this win means to her and Haiti, she said that this was the second international title that Haiti has obtained in the pageant world. “It has come at a time when Haiti needed a win the most and it has been an honour to occupy the space. It means a lot for Haiti to have a voice as we are a small island with a big impact and a lot to share with the world. In the future, I hope to share Haiti’s light in different spaces in the world as we have been able to be such a light in the past. Haiti has helped liberate other countries and also has inspired Black nations to obtain and keep their freedom as we were the first free Black republic in 1804.”
According to her, she had been preparing for the competition for the last three months as she was crowned Miss Heritage Haiti in June 2022. “I prepared for this competition by first finding out how I will make an impact on my country. I was able to speak in a digital entrepreneurship seminar given my background in marketing while also being able to show Haiti in a positive light through production of video content in major spaces in the country. I was supported by over 15 Haitian sponsors that have gotten me to where I am today and without them I don’t know how we would have been able to obtain the crown of Miss Heritage Global 2022.”
Talking about how she plans to promote culture during the course of the next year, she said that the title gives her access to work with different cultures and networks of individuals to bridge the understanding of where they come from and where their roots lie while celebrating different cultures.
“I will be touring different countries throughout the year and speaking at international events. Simultaneously, I plan on connecting the dots between us as a people and sharing our stories as we are all the same kind of different and have so much to share.”
