Miss Universe Welcomes First Palestinian Contestant as Statehood Debates Intensify

While debates over Palestinian statehood rage across the West, Palestine will soon gain visibility on a different international stage — the Miss Universe pageant.The Palestinian territory is slated to make its entree in international pageantry this November when it sends a 27-year-old model, Nadeen Ayoub, to compete in the 2025 Miss Universe contest at Pak Kret, Thailand. Ms. Ayoub, who earned the title of “Miss Palestine” in 2022, announced her participation in the international event in a post on Instagram. “Today, I step onto the Miss Universe stage not just with a title — but with a truth,” Ms. Ayoub wrote last week. She vowed to “represent every Palestinian woman and child whose strength the world needs to see.”The certified nutritionist and health coach is based in Dubai though she divides her time between Ramallah and Amman, she told Gulf News. She describes herself as part of the “Palestinian diaspora” though she adds that “even if I’m based in Dubai, I carry Palestine in my heart and in my voice.” Ms. Ayoub told the United Arab Emirates’ state-owned paper, the National, that she had planned to represent Palestine at an earlier Miss Universe competition but postponed it because of the conflict. She accuses Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza. Her pageant debut coincides with several Western nations — including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada — expressing intentions to formally recognize Palestinian statehood. This movement has drawn sharp criticism from the United States and Israel, which argue that recognizing Palestine following Hamas’s October 7 attack would reward terrorism and encourage future violence.Despite Palestine’s contested status as a sovereign state, the Miss Universe pageant has historically welcomed non-state entities. The 2024 competition featured contestants from Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, Hong Kong, and other territories.“The Miss Universe Organization proudly welcomes delegates from across the globe, celebrating diversity, cultural exchange, and the empowerment of women,” the Miss Universe organizers stated. “Ms. Ayoub, an accomplished advocate and model from Palestine, embodies the resilience and determination that define our platform.”Ms. Ayoub will compete alongside an Israeli beauty queen, Melanie Shiraz, a 26-year-old entrepreneur. Israel has participated in the Miss Universe pageant since 1952.

Miss Universe Welcomes First Palestinian Contestant as Statehood Debates Intensify

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