Irinieta John Mackinlay, who was crowned Miss Nasinu at the Millennium Sinu Festival at the Valelevu ground in June will represent Nasinu in the Miss Fiji Pageant 2019.

The 22-year-old said the contestants of 2018 had inspired her to do the same as they did.

“I want to be the reason why another young woman in the crowd wants to make a difference, wants to come out of her comfort zone solely because she wants to share her views and opinions on a particular issue.

“I also want to show people that a woman does not have to look a certain way to be a queen, she only needs to have a passion for making society and the world a better place,” she said.

Her hope is to continue to be a role model to more people.

“I want to continue to inspire others by showing them that having respect and being humble can go a long way in this lifetime,” she said.

The theme for this year’s Miss Fiji Pageant, ‘Women Empowerment,’ was one of the fields she always dreamt of highlighting to the public.

“Women empowerment to me is gender equality and it provides women with the tools they need to accomplish and conquer their dreams.

She also said it was accessed through opportunities without limitations and restrictions.

“It’s important because women are already strong; it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.

She also believes that youths play a huge role in society and respect and practising good moral values will facilitate their progress in life.

“I will encourage each and every youth to respect other people’s feelings, be kind, be open-minded and always believe in yourself before anyone else can. Dream it, believe it and most importantly do it,” she said.

Edited by Susana Tuilau

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