I don’t write my speeches, but I had to sit down and write this speech cos tonight is very precise to me. It reminds me of the day my name changed from “Arual” to a “miss” the day my name went down in the History of S.Sudan I want to congratulate all the grand champions because making it to the stage tonight alone makes you a winner. I want you to know that you are all beautiful, smart, unusual and unique in your charming ways.

Wearing the crown doesn’t make you a queen, but what makes you a queen is the heart you have for people, the love you show to your fellows, the care you give to others and the determined soul you are gifted with. You might lose today and become more successful than the Winner of today. We have different gifts, different talents, different fates, various destinations in life and that’s why you are all competing for one crown, and only one of you will take it. The rest who will not make it have greater things waiting for them. You will not make it not because you not qualified, but because there can never be two winners in a competition.

To the yet to be queen, carrying the crown comes with many things, it’s not about looking good all the times, it’s not all about just calling a queen. You will have your best days, and you will have your worst days. You will be criticized, you will be accused of things you know nothing about, you will be slandered by people you don’t even know, but all in all, if you put God first, He will lead you to the right path. I will always be there for you whenever you need me. God bless you, and I wish you all the best in your new journey. And to the people I so love, the people I so adore, the people I so pride in. My beloved and greatest warriors, my backbone.

The people of this great Nation South Sudan. I want to say thank you, thank you for believing in me, thank you for loving me, thank you for always supporting me. I never felt disrespected during my reign, you all gave me praises that I thought I didn’t even deserve. I want to assure you that my reign ends tonight, but my responsibilities, my dreams, and desires for this Country continue.

I also want to thank my family for being always there for me. I am so grateful and thankful., And lastly, my appreciation goes to the founder and CEO of MWSS organization, it is because of her that we are all gathered here tonight. And this should be one of the best reasons the girls should be allowed to go to school in this Country. We shouldn’t have been here if she was illiterate.

Thank you for giving us the young and ambitious girls of this Country the opportunity to express our beauty in many ways. Thank you for the lifetime experience, thank you for inspiring us, thank you for connecting us to our dreams, thank you for playing a significant role in this Country, thank you for making S. Sudan well known in the world map. You are extraordinary, God bless you. My wish is to see this Country Have everlasting peace and unity! God bless South Sudan

I hope to look at this Country have eternal peace and unity! God bless S. Sudan

By Arual Longar, Miss World South Sudan 2017-2018