The quest for AYV Miss University’s 2023 Crown has commenced with a stakeholders consultative meeting held in line with AYV’s objectivities and commitments to engage and empower young people including students, and in preparation for 2023 AYV Miss University.

The Miss University Planning Committee conveyed a stakeholder consultation with all relevant stakeholders for a transparent, inclusive, diverse and meaningful engagement and participation in the planning and implementation of this year’s Miss University.

This student-led stakeholder consultation was driven under the auspices of the current AYV Miss University Beauty Queen, Miss Mariyam Lorba Konneh who chaired the meeting with partners assigned co-lead roles.

Miss Konneh, a year two student at IPAM in the Banking and Finance Department said: “I always wanted to be a star, that was she used the opportunity to showcase to the world what I am capable of doing.

“I was raised in a decent environment with a very religious and strict dad who used to have a negative perception about pageantry but after I educated him about it his perception changed and father and the entire family have been so supportive to me.”

Public Relations Officer of the National Union of Sierra Leone Students (NUSS), Andrew Chokpeleh, who represented the Union at the meeting thanked and appreciated the management of AYV and their partners for bringing them to a dialogue.

He said: “This is an event that seeks to empower young people and we at NUSS are in support of activities that empower young people. Moving forward we are looking forward to working with you as students’ bodies.”

Chief Operating Officer (COO) of AYV, Messeh Leone informed the NUSS that he is a founding member of the Commonwealth Students Association and that he helped establish the Association through his work for the Commonwealth, in that his engagement with young people across the Commonwealth makes him well knowledgeable of students’ engagement.

He said: “AYV is a credible institution with credible partners and investors like Africell. When we talk about Miss University, I said to the meeting that we must engage the students’ unions and this meeting today is the answer. That is why we called upon you guys to come and meet and discuss.

“There are opportunities for you guys out there that we want to share with you so that we can work together and make progress. So, that is past, it has been sorted, we are a family now and the CEO of AYV, Amb. Anthony Navo Jr., has recommended a joint committee with NUSS and other partners to see how we can move on and work together.” Messeh Leone said.

Africa Young Voices (AYV) Media Empire is the official franchise holder and organiser of the Miss University beauty pageant as well as the official representative to Miss University Africa.

Miss University beauty pageant was first held in 2011 and is one of the biggest beauty pageants in the country, bringing together participants from universities in Sierra Leone.