YOUTHS of today’s generation are being encouraged to embrace more public speaking opportunities, as they continue to demonstrate growing confidence and stage presence in formal settings.
This call was made by Hibiscus 2025 Queen co-ordinator and former Miss Hibiscus, Alisi Rabukawaqa, who shared her observations on the evolving capabilities of young women participating in this year’s festival.
Speaking on the performance of contestants during their first public appearance at the festival, Ms Rabukawaqa noted a significant shift in how quickly and effectively the participants have adapted to public speaking, despite having limited preparation time.
“I will say that the girls now, I feel, are so much more confident,” she said.
“They are very good at speaking publicly.
“Back in our day, we had months and months to prepare, and even then, we were like nervous still.
“But these girls had weeks, days.
“And yet, people have seen their first public appearance last night.”
Ms Rabukawaqa said that despite the short preparation time, many of the contestants delivered strong performances, which she described as a proud moment.
She believes the increased confidence among today’s youth may be partly due to the influence of digital media.
With social platforms encouraging regular on-camera interaction, such as going live, recording videos, and sharing content, young people are becoming more accustomed to speaking in front of audiences and expressing themselves publicly.
And it’s this growing confidence and digital fluency, according to Ms Rabukawaqa, that gives today’s youth the potential to powerfully contribute to the nation through their voice and presence.
