Rigelsa Cybi, 25, of Tirana, Albania is one of the 89 candidates of Miss Earth 2022. It is the 22nd edition of the international beauty pageant that advocates for environmental awareness, conservation and social responsibility.

Miss Earth 2022

Representing the Philippines, Baguio City’s Roxanne Baeyens, 25, is Miss Earth-Water 2020. She was second runner-up to Miss Earth 2020 Lindsey Coffey, 30, of the United States, who was crowned in a virtual ceremony on November 29, 2020.

On November 21, 2021, Coffey’s successor Miss Earth 2021 Destiny Wagner, 26, of Belize was also crowned virtually. On November 29, 2022, Wagner will crown her successor at the Okada Manila in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines.

The theme of Miss Earth 2022 is ME Loves Fauna. The 89 candidates are asked to choose an animal native to their respective countries, which will be featured in the competition.

Rigelsa Cybi

On June 10, 2022, Cybi competed against 21 other candidates at Miss Universe Albania 2022 in Tirana, Albania. She ranked third and was crowned Miss Earth Albania 2022.

If Cybi makes it to the Top 20 of Miss Earth 2022, she will be the first candidate from Albania to place in the international beauty pageant. The European country was represented in the competition by Anjeza Maja in 2002, Vilma Masha in 2004, Blerta Halili in 2006, Shpresa Vitia in 2007, Rudina Suti in 2008, Suada Saliu in 2009 and Afroviti Goge in 2013.

Currently based in Rome, Italy Cybi is an actress and a model with a bachelor’s degree in dentistry. She chose to represent the golden eagle at Miss Earth 2022.

Golden eagle

The golden eagle is the national animal of Albania. The country’s honorary decoration called the Dekorata e Artë e Shqiponjës (Golden Decoration of the eagle) is given to Albanian and foreign citizens for bravery in armed war and for activities or acts of civic courage in peacetime. 

Due to widespread poaching of raptors, the golden eagle is threatened with extinction. An injured golden eagle was found in Skrapar, Berat County, Albania in February 2021, brought to the rehabilitation center for wild birds in Divjaka-Karavasta National Park in Fier County, Albania and released at the Prespa National Park in Korçë, Albania on April 13, 2021.