Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters

“Every person has a choice in every situation and I decided not to be a victim of crime and to not allow myself to be crippled with fear. This is why I started Unbreakable. I wanted to teach women the self-defence skills I learnt during a course I participated in.”

“The crystal-clear water in Thailand offers the best swimming and snorkelling experience.”

“You can be beautiful and you can be smart and you can make a meaningful difference in your community, in your country, in your world.”

“We are not just a farming area, Africa has great potential and we are a developing continent.”

“I resonate with everything that the Miss Universe organisation stands for, especially empowering women across the globe.”

“I want to be remembered as a Miss Universe who overcame her fears and helped other women overcome theirs.”

“As a young girl, I would watch the Miss South Africa competition wishing with all my heart that one day I, too, would be able to walk on that stage, just like those glamorous women I saw on television.”

“Becoming Miss Universe made me realize that women worldwide face the same challenges daily, such as various forms of violence and crime, physical and emotional abuse, and toxic relationships, among others.”

“I want someone to look at me and find a little of themselves in me.”

“And when I won Miss Universe, I got a global platform, which gave me a louder voice to be able to reach more women from every corner of the world. No matter where we live, our circumstances or how we grew up, we want to feel love, we want to feel cared for, and we want to feel powerful.”

“It takes one brave woman to implement change and for other women to be able to follow that.”

“I admire woman like Marissa Mayer, the first female engineer and then CEO of Yahoo. Women who don't only strive to be the equals of men, but who strive to live up to their full potential.”

“HIV/AIDS is a very big problem in my country South Africa, so I hope to stand as an advocate for that.”

“I realised at Miss S.A. and more so at Miss Universe that it's important to focus on your strengths and work on your weaknesses to know yourself well.”

“Just like our bodies need rest, so does our hair. I put a hair mask on twice a month and walk around with it for a whole day.”

“Living in New York, no big deal. I am loving New York - there is something about the energy.”

“I hope I can inspire every little boy and girl to reach their own dreams.”

“As Miss Universe, you have to be confident in who you are. Miss Universe has to overcome her fears and teach others to do the same. And nothing is ever too much to ask for. That is exactly who I am.”

“I was always interested in politics and I had great leadership skills from a young age.”

“There are so many girls in school who don't know about the opportunities out there. As a graduate, I only realised things about the business world after I completed my studies.”