Miss Merchant Finance, Maria Ali, took to the stage for the first night of public judging at the Hibiscus Festival 2025, held at the Suva Foreshore, and shared a heartfelt moment that captured the emotion and purpose behind her journey.
Ali, who admitted to being nervous during her presentation to fijivillage News, opened up about the internal pressure she felt when she looked up and saw the crowd, and especially when she spotted her mother in the audience.
Ali says at first, she thought she could run through her answers without taking any breaks in between, but ended up stopping for a while, which she says affected how she answered her questions.
Ali says one more look at her mum helped her pick herself up again and answer the question.
She says she wanted to show her younger sisters, who were watching at home, that their older sister could do it.
Ali's response during the judging centred around how local communities in Fiji can both contribute to and benefit from the tourism industry.
Although Ali expressed contentment with the message she delivered, she says she wished she had been able to present it more confidently.
In a touching anecdote, Ali also spoke about her grandmother, who at 67 years old still weaves mats and sells them at the flea market.
