Miss World Africa 2025, Hasset Dereje from Ethiopia, delivered an emotional and empowering address to the graduating class of 2024 at the Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, the very institution where her own journey began.

Standing proudly before her university family, Hasset expressed deep gratitude and admiration for her fellow students, calling them “the thinkers, the innovators, the resilient souls who make our university shine.”

In her heartfelt speech, she reminded the graduates of the purpose and perseverance that brought them to this milestone. “Every late night, every obstacle overcome has prepared you for this moment,” she said, urging them to carry their strength and vision into shaping the continent’s future.

Reflecting on her own path from student to Miss World Africa, Hasset shared, “Que será, será – what is meant for you will find you, just as destiny brought me from these very classrooms to the Miss World stage.” Her message was clear: Ethiopian excellence knows no bounds.

As the ceremony concluded, Hasset left her peers with a parting wish: “May your journeys be as limitless as your potential, your impact as profound as your dreams, and your roots forever strong in the knowledge that you carry our university’s legacy forward.”