Mariam Mohamed will make history this November by becoming the first Emirati to take part in the long-running Miss Universe pageant.
Mohamed, 26, a fashion student in Dubai, was named Miss Universe UAE on Friday night, and will represent the country at the global competition, to be hosted by the Thai city of Pak Kret on November 21.
Now in its 74th year, contestants from 130 countries are set to take part in the Miss Universe 2025 pageant, one of the most popular annual beauty competitions in the world, watched by an estimated global audience of 500 million.
"To wear this title is an honour beyond words. It’s not just my journey, it’s a reflection of every dreamer who calls the UAE home," Mohamed said.
“The UAE has given me the confidence to dream big. I want to be a voice for women who are ambitious, curious and driven. Miss Universe UAE is not just about beauty, it is about impact."
A keen falconer and camel riding enthusiast, she "loves traveling around the world and meeting different cultures".
"My dream is to reduce global poverty and empower women. Miss Universe isn’t just about beauty, it’s about resilience and the power of women rising together," she added.
While Mohamed will be the first Emirati to compete at Miss Universe, she's not the first to represent the UAE. Emilia Dobreva, a Kosovo-born model and long-time Dubai resident, represented the Emirates at the competition last year.
Women of all nationalities are welcome to compete for Miss Universe UAE as long as they had been official residents of the country for at least three years.
Mohamed is only the second Miss Universe UAE to be crowned. She will join Nadine Ayoub, who will also make history this year as the first Miss Universe Palestine. Other representatives from the Middle East will also include contestants from Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon and Iran, who will be represented under Miss Universe Persia, a contest open globally to the Iranian diaspora.
Mohamed will "showcase the UAE’s story of empowerment, sustainability and innovation to a global audience proving that Emirati women are not only rooted in tradition but are also leaders of tomorrow," Miss Universe UAE said.
