Joheirry Mola Dominguez Makes History as Dominican Republic Claims Miss World 2026 Crown
NHA TRANG, Vietnam — Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic was crowned Miss World 2026, becoming only the second woman from her country to win the international pageant.
The 24-year-old was crowned in Nha Trang, Vietnam, during the 73rd edition of the competition, which brought together contestants from more than 100 countries.
Mola Dominguez follows Mariasela Álvarez, who became the first Dominican Republic contestant to win the Miss World title in 1982.
Beyond pageantry, Mola Dominguez is a teacher, journalist and professional model. She graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Business Management and Administration and works as a Literature and Social Studies teacher. She also is a correspondent for Univision New York’s Ventana a Quisqueya.
Her work in education is closely tied to her social advocacy. Mola Dominguez founded Voices of Tomorrow, a project focused on providing English-language education to children and young people in vulnerable communities.
She has said that learning English at an early age can give children greater access to educational and professional opportunities. In her teaching work, she already teaches Literature and Social Studies in English, giving her firsthand experience with the type of education she hopes to expand through Voices of Tomorrow.
The initiative became part of her Miss World campaign through Beauty With a Purpose, the pageant’s social-impact program, which allows contestants to showcase projects connected to causes they support.
During the competition, Mola Dominguez highlighted her goal of bringing English-language programs to children in underserved communities, emphasizing the long-term benefits of acquiring a practical skill that can expand opportunities beyond the classroom.
Beauty With a Purpose featured projects from contestants competing in this year’s pageant. Twenty-four projects advanced to the continental finals, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty received the overall Beauty With a Purpose award.
Mola Dominguez’s path to the Miss World crown also included a victory in the Top Model challenge for the Americas and Caribbean region, earning her a place in the Top 40.
She advanced through subsequent rounds before taking the title, delivering the Dominican Republic its second Miss World crown more than four decades after Álvarez’s historic victory.
Her win puts a new focus on a pageant contestant whose work extends beyond the runway — combining education, journalism and advocacy with an effort to expand opportunities for young people through English-language learning.
