On 23 July 2026, the Miss and Mister Supranational Forum on Hansen’s Disease 2026 was held in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland, bringing together young influencers from around the world to learn about Hansen’s disease (leprosy), hear directly from persons affected by the disease, and explore ways to promote awareness and inclusion.
Hosted by the Sasakawa Leprosy Initiative in collaboration with the organizers of the Miss and Mister Supranational international beauty pageants, around 110 contestants took part in the day-long event.
The morning session opened with remarks by Gerhard Parzutka von Lipiński, founder of Miss Supranational, and a video message from Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination. It was then time for three persons affected by leprosy from Indonesia, Colombia, and Bangladesh to share their life stories. They spoke openly about their experiences—from diagnosis and treatment to overcoming stigma and discrimination—as well as their ongoing efforts to support others and raise awareness. Ermawati, from Makassar, Indonesia, said that recounting her life story in public required tremendous courage, but described the opportunity to speak at the forum as a truly special and meaningful experience.
The session also featured presentations by Miss Supranational contestants on what they did to raise awareness of Hansen’s disease in 2025. They shared examples of their initiatives, including collaborations with people affected by the disease, and talked about how they used social media to promote awareness and inclusion.
In the lively discussions that followed, participants reflected on what they had learned and how they could use their platforms to support the fight against Hansen’s disease. Many emphasized that raising awareness should go beyond simply sharing information. Lam Chris Chidubem (Nigeria), who had recently visited a leprosy foundation in his country, highlighted the importance of compassion. He reminded participants that “compassion works even better than medicine.” He encouraged everyone to challenge stigma by showing kindness and helping others understand that Hansen’s disease is curable and not highly contagious.
Several contestants also proposed practical ways to translate awareness into action. Marco Ybarra Castillo (United States) stressed that “knowledge is power.” He suggested incorporating early detection and screening into awareness events and emphasized that recognizing a problem is the first step toward solving it. Danton Miguel (Brazil) encouraged participants to speak on behalf of those affected by Hansen’s disease and to create opportunities for them to share their own stories on social media and at public events. Meanwhile, Agnes Aditya Rahajeng (Indonesia) noted that meaningful conversations often begin in everyday settings. She proposed community events, such as charity garage sales, as spaces to raise awareness, foster dialogue, and mobilize support.
The session concluded with a shared commitment among participants to use their influence, creativity, and professional expertise to promote accurate knowledge, challenge stigma, and support a more inclusive society for persons affected by Hansen’s disease.
Turning Knowledge into Action
In the afternoon, Miss Supranational contestants attended a workshop where they applied what they learned in the morning session to create awareness messages.
Participants were divided into seven regional groups of approximately 10 members each and created one-minute awareness videos focusing on Hansen’s disease. Drawing on the personal stories they had heard and the discussions from the forum, each group developed messages highlighting key themes:
- Hansen’s disease is curable;
- stigma and discrimination must be eliminated; and
- the dignity and inclusion of persons affected by Hansen’s disease must be protected.
Using awareness materials and message props prepared for the forum, participants worked together to produce short videos within a limited timeframe. Their experience using social media allowed them to create content that was clear, engaging, and accessible to younger audiences.
These videos were posted on Instagram during the event, followed by presentations from each group. The videos, along with photos and messages shared on social media, are helping to spread accurate information about Hansen’s disease and encouraging greater understanding of it among audiences worldwide. In this way, the impact of the forum is continuing beyond the event itself.
“The Last Mile Starts Now”
At the venue, participants also contributed to a message panel featuring the Sasakawa Leprosy Initiative’s new slogan: “The Last Mile Starts Now.” The slogan serves as a rallying cry to redouble efforts against the disease.
Each participant wrote the slogan in their own language and added it to the panel, creating a multilingual message of solidarity. The panel became a popular photo spot, with many participants sharing photos and videos through their social media channels.
Through its ongoing collaboration with the Miss and Mister Supranational community, the Sasakawa Leprosy Initiative will continue working to amplify voices, promote accurate information, and advance efforts toward a world free from discrimination associated with Hansen’s disease.
