In an exciting development for Samoa's pageantry and national pride, Haylani Pearl Kuruppu has been named Miss Universe Samoa 2024. 

Ms Kuruppu, a distinguished figure in the world of pageants, will represent Samoa at the 73rd Miss Universe competition, which is set to take place in Mexico this November.

This remarkable achievement marks a significant milestone for Ms Kuruppu, who is celebrated as the first Samoan woman to hold five distinct pageant titles. 

Her impressive track record began in 2022 when she was crowned Miss Samoa Melbourne, followed by her victory as Miss Samoa the same year. 

Her accolades continued with her title as Miss Global Samoa in 2023, and a notable second-place finish at the Miss Global pageant earlier this year. Additionally, she earned the title of Miss Vice Global 2023 and was the first runner-up at the Miss Pacific Islands 2023.

Kuruppu's upcoming participation in Miss Universe is highly anticipated, and she will be officially crowned at a ceremony to be held at the Orator Hotel next Friday. 

The announcement of her title was made possible through a partnership with Vodafone Samoa, which is providing essential telecom and advertising support for the pageant.

The Miss Samoa Universe pageant, launched earlier this year by Manaia Event Director Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt, aims to elevate Samoa's profile on the international stage. 

Leiataualesa emphasised that the pageant represents a unique opportunity to showcase the beauty and talent of Samoan women globally. 

He revealed that the Miss Universe organisation granted their team the license to organize and recruit Samoa's candidate, underscoring the importance of this endeavour.

Despite facing challenges in securing sponsorships and financial support, the Manaia Event team remains optimistic about the positive impact this initiative will have on Samoa. 

Leiataualesa Brunt has expressed hopes for government support, whether through moral encouragement or financial assistance, to bolster the initiative's efforts in empowering young Samoan women and highlighting the nation's talents through pageantry.

Ms Kuruppu accomplished remarkable feats during her time as Miss Samoa, making history as the first titleholder to publish a book while in office.

The children's book, Haylanni: The Journey to Miss Samoa, was released with the backing of Samoa Stationery and Books.

Haylanni is a social worker and fitness trainer, and she was also pursuing a degree in physiotherapy at the Australian Catholic University. To prepare for the Miss Global 2023 competition, Vodafone Samoa organised a two-week training session in Asia for Haylanni leading up to the pageant.