Nadeen Ayoub on representing Palestine at Miss Universe: 'We should never be silenced'

Beauty queen talks about postponing pageant plans amid the Gaza crisis and how she now hopes to bring attention to her homeland on the international stage

This November, as Nadeen Ayoub steps on to the Miss Universe stage alongside contestants from over 120 countries, she will do more than make history as Palestine’s first participant – she will carry the courage and spirit of her people on a global stage.

“When you have that power, you have a responsibility to speak out. And I feel a huge responsibility,” she tells The National. “Miss Universe is a huge platform, and there's a big responsibility in speaking out about what's happening in the Gaza. No one should be silent about the injustice that's happening. This is the time when Palestine needs to be represented on all platforms everywhere.”

Crowned Miss Palestine in 2022, Ayoub, 27, made history that year when she represented her country for the first time at the Miss Earth pageant, where she was one of the top five finalists. But she had to put her future plans as a title holder on hold after conflict broke out in Gaza in 2023.

“There hasn't been another Miss Palestine since 2022 because of the genocide,” she says. “After Miss Earth, I was supposed go to Miss Universe. But I postponed it because I did not want to go when genocide was happening. I wanted to focus more on staying behind the scenes because the spotlight was supposed to be on the people in Palestine who are suffering, rather than me.”

Nadeen Ayoub in a dress by Palestinian designer Hiba Abdelkarim. Photo: Miss Universe Palestine

But as violence raged and the humanitarian crises in Palestine worsens, Ayoub felt compelled to use her platform and voice to raise awareness about her people's plight.

“Palestinian people's voices need to be heard, not only the women and children, but everyone,” she says. “The Palestinian woman is a beautiful woman who has a voice that is strong, that's resilient, that is powerful and that is angelic. And I want to show the world that side of Palestine.”

A certified wellness and nutrition coach with a degree in literature and psychology, Ayoub was raised between Palestine, the US and Canada by her father who's a lawyer and her mother, an educator.

She currently splits her time between her hometown of Ramallah, Amman and Dubai, where she founded Olive Green Academy, which promotes sustainability through training and awareness programmes. She also works for Sayidat Falasteen, the philanthropic and media platform of the Miss Palestine Organisation that works to uplift women by sharing their stories, supporting their businesses and showcasing their impact across Palestine and the diaspora.

Ayoub splits her time between her home town of Ramallah, Amman and Dubai, where she works with several philanthropic organisations. Photo: Miss Universe Palestine

“In a way, I love being an international citizen – a Palestinian international citizen,” she says. “I like to mix what I learn internationally with me being Palestinian. This combination is almost like my art.”

The long-running Miss Universe pageant is one of the most popular annual beauty competitions in the world, watched by an estimated global audience of 500 million. This year, the 74th event will be held in Pak Kret, central Thailand, with the finals on November 21.

The road to the Miss Universe has not been easy, Ayoub says.

“It's a long process … a lot of interviews, a lot of applications. This is the first time in history that Palestine is being represented, but they were not going to just accept my entry. They have a lot of requirements in order to qualify as a contestant. It took me, honestly, years to get here.”

With the support of the Miss Palestine Organisation as well as well-wishers and supporters, she says she's managed to pull together a team to help her prepare for the big stage in November.

“When we went to Miss Earth, it was almost like a one-woman show,” she says. “I didn't have a big agency behind me so I had to really work hard and prepare myself because we lack these tools in Palestine. We don't have as much opportunity as other countries, because we have other causes that need more attention.

“But we have had the most positive reactions to our announcement and people have been so amazing and supportive. I have a team in the Philippines and in Palestine and other places, and all these people want to support me, because they love Palestine. And this is the most beautiful thing about it – they are so happy that Palestine is being represented at this time.”

Ayoub, second from right, was a finalist at the Miss Earth 2022 pageant in Manila, Philippines. EPA

That huge responsibility is not lost on Ayoub who says she's going to give it her all and hopes to make a mark, from her fashion choices to the messages she will speak about on stage at multiple events.

“I will definitely be wearing designs from more than one designer in the competition, because I want to support as many Palestinian designers as possible. And I'm also using designs from international designers as well, and I think it's a great way to express my Palestinian identity and also my international identity,” she says.

“And as I've said before, we should never be silenced when there is injustice happening in the world. And we always should speak up for the people in Palestine, for the women and children that are starving right now, for people that are suffering for no fault of their own. And to be truly a queen is to talk about this. This is really my message.”