BY INDY MAEALASIA
SOLOMON Islands is gearing up to host the Pacific region’s prestigious Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) 2025 in early February, organizers have announced.
The pageant will bring together eight contestants from across the region to showcase their cultural pride, beauty, and elegance, competing for the much sought-after Miss Pacific Islands title.
Confirmed contestants are: Miss Samoa, Miss American Samoa, Miss Tonga, Miss Cook Islands (NZ) Miss Kiribati, Miss Nauru, Miss Papua New Guinea and Miss Solomon Islands.
This year’s edition would go down in the books as the second time in 12 years that the MPIP has returned to the Solomon Islands, with the first in 2013.
Despite facing delays in government funding, Pageant Director Joyce Konofilia and her team are confident they can overcome these challenges and deliver a spectacular show. “I am confident and expect to put on one of the best pageants,” Konofilia said.
The pageant will run from February 1st to 8th, featuring three major events: the Speech Day at the AJ Conference Room, Float Day, which will take the contestants from East Honiara to SMI for market and entertainment activities, and the grand finale—the crowning night—at the Friendship Hall.
A special highlight of the crowning night will be the reigning Miss Pacific Islands, Moemoana Schewenke, who will crown the new queen.
Leading up to these main events, the contestants will participate in various activities, including attending Sunday service at Saint Barnabas Cathedral on February 2nd, meeting with the Prime Minister on February 3rd, and visiting locations such as the National Referral Hospital (NRH), the Yacht Club, Solomon Islands National University, and Graceland Tourist Site. The contestants will also visit several sponsors during their stay.
Unlike the previous pageants, organizers hope to create a closer connection between the contestants and local communities.
“There will be different events from east Honiara down to Kakabona where the girls will actually go down to the community level to interact with our people,” Konofilia said
Konofilia explained. “We want people to take ownership of the event and not just for the contestants to pass by, and our people do not get to experience what the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant is all about.”
Current sponsors for the awards are:
Coral Sea Casino: Overall winner – USD 5,000
Coral Sea Resort: First Runner-up (second place)
Honiara Pokies Club: Second runner-up
Printwise: Photogenic Award
Tourism Solomons: Miss Tourism Award
Satsol: Considering sponsoring Traditional award
Bank South Pacific: Best Interview Award
Solomon Islands Ports Authority: Talent Award
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