Young lawyer chases Pacific crown

The National National

The first entry for this year’s Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) PNG is 24-year-old Renee Jasmine Siaguru.
Siaguru is, of East Sepik and Chimbu parentage, and a lawyer with Allens Linklaters, an international law firm. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Papua New Guinea, a post-graduate legal training certificate from the PNG Legal Training Institute, an admission certificate to the PNG National and Supreme Courts and a Diploma in Business Management from the International Training Institute.
Siaguru is  sponsored by Pacific Balanced Fund and Melanesian Trustee Services Ltd.
“The pageant is forging a new age of women, confident in who they are and where they come from but more importantly where they are going – to contribute meaningfully to their societies,” Siaguru said.
“It’s a professional stage, with a hint of glamour. I aim to use the pageant platform to network both locally and regionally to connect youths across the Asia-Pacific region for the creation of cultural and social cohesion, respect and unity in diversity.”
Siaguru volunteers as a Papua New Guinea country co-ordinator for PACE48 (promoting access to cultural education in 48 Asia-Pacific countries) which is a multinational youth-led network supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
“I am currently a cultural ambassador for Papua New Guinea through my volunteer work with PACE48,” Siaguru said.
“My volunteer work involves the promotion and protection of different cultures across the Asia-Pacific as this  is something I am passionate about.”
Her involvement with PACE48 came about after she represented Papua New Guinea as a youth delegate to the Unesco Asia-Pacific Youth Dialogue in Chengdu, China, last year.
Siaguru is also a member of Transparency International Papua New Guinea and volunteers in various programmes such as the Walk Against Corruption and Youth Against Corruption Association forums.
“My passion for youth empowerment has encouraged me to use my personal time to commit to causes such as this one, in which funds raised go towards financially supporting young women in tertiary education,” she said.
As a young lawyer, Siaguru said she was constantly growing and pushing herself to meet challenges and achieve results and credits.