Flavia Harizaj, 25, grew up in Fier, Albania. She represented the country in the 74th edition of Miss Universe but did not finish the competition.
Flavia Harizaj
With a bachelor’s degree in finance, Harizaj is passionate about the field of economics and financial management. She advocates for women’s financial education and economic independence and young people’s mental health.
Including Harizaj, 18 women competed for Saimir Kasemi‘s attention in “Love Story”, which premiered on TV Klan on November 10, 2020. In the final episode, he chose Meri Murrizi.
Harizaj loves to dance, travel and learn new things. She traveled to Milan, Italy in November 2024 and Vienna, Austria in March 2025.
Miss Universe 2025
On June 29, 2025, Harizaj was crowned Miss Universe Albania 2025 at Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana, Albania. In July 2025, she traveled to Capri, Italy.
On November 19, 2025, Harizaj and 119 other Miss Universe 2025 candidates competed in the preliminary competition at the Impact Challenger Hall in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand. She wore a national costume designed by Annisa Banyuwangi of Indonesia and a BLINI evening gown accessorized with Swarovski Retailer Albania jewelry.
On November 21, 2025, Harizaj and Miss Universe Jamaica 2025 Gabrielle Henry did not appear onstage during the Miss Universe 2025 coronation ceremony at the Impact Challenger Hall. The candidate from Albania took to social media to explain that she was not feeling well that day.
It was Fatima Bosch of Mexico who won the Miss Universe 2025 crown. The respective first, second, third and fourth runners-up were Praveenar Singh of Thailand, Stephany Abasali of Venezuela, Ahtisa Manalo of the Philippines and Olivia Yace of Cote d’Ivoire.
From Fier to Pak Kret
While separated by geography and culture, Fier and Pak Kret illustrate how secondary cities carve out unique economic identities under the shadow of national development.
Fier functions as an independent provincial anchor in southwest Albania’s Myzeqe plain. Housing roughly 97,000 residents, its economy balances a history of industrial oil extraction with a thriving modern shift toward greenhouse agriculture and Mediterranean olive oil production. It remains a self-contained regional hub.
In contrast, Pak Kret is a high-density suburban powerhouse of over 190,000 people. Situated along the Chao Phraya River within the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Pak Kret has rapidly transitioned from historic durian orchards and Mon pottery communities into a fully integrated urban extension of the Thai capital. Connected by the MRT Pink Line, it hosts massive commercial hubs like Muang Thong Thani, driving rapid real estate and retail growth.
While Fier preserves its provincial autonomy by anchoring regional agriculture, Pak Kret thrives by absorbing the hyper-urban spillover and transit connectivity of a massive Southeast Asian megacity.
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