Emily Baesen

     My name is Emily Baesen, and I am proud to represent Belgium at Miss Grand International 2026. I am a 21-year-old Business Management student with a passion for beauty, travel, and connecting with people from different cultures. I believe true beauty is found not only in appearance, but also in confidence, kindness, determination, and the way we use our voices to positively influence others. As Miss Grand Belgium, I want to represent my country with elegance and strength while embracing this extraordinary opportunity to grow, inspire, and create meaningful connections around the world.

     My passion for beauty pageants was inspired by my younger sister, Jane. Watching her journey up close and seeing her proudly represent Belgium and achieve a Top 22 placement at Miss Grand International 2025 introduced me to the extraordinary world of pageantry. I witnessed the dedication, discipline, courage, and perseverance it takes to stand on an international stage, and it inspired me to step outside my own comfort zone and begin my own journey. Jane will always be an important source of inspiration to me, but today I am excited to write my own story, bring my own personality and strengths to the competition, and proudly represent Belgium at Miss Grand International 2026.

     “Stop the War and Violence” represents something deeply human to me: the belief that every person deserves to live in safety and peace. Behind every conflict are real people, families, and especially children whose lives can change forever because of violence. I believe our generation must continue to raise awareness about the impact of war and violence and encourage people to choose compassion and peace. I want to use my voice and my platform to inspire people to choose kindness, because real change starts with the way we treat one another.

The 4Bs represent the woman I aspire to be.

• Body means taking care of myself with discipline and respecting both my physical and mental well-being.
• Beauty is confidence, authenticity, and kindness — qualities that shine far beyond physical appearance.
• Brain represents curiosity, education, and the ability to think independently and continuously learn.
• Business is especially meaningful to me as a Business Management student because I want to transform ambition and creativity into opportunities and build a successful future of my own.
• Together, the 4Bs represent a woman who is confident, intelligent, independent, and capable of turning her dreams into achievements.
• Communication, empathy, dancing, modelling, resilience, and creativity.