Is Miss Universe UAE going ahead? Pageant opens voting site and leaves space for Emirates

This week, the Miss Universe UAE coronation night was cancelled and a new date remains unannounced, but there is still time to crown a winner

Miss Universe UAE contenders at Bagatelle restaurant in Fairmont Dubai. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

The first casting on October 15 whittled down thousands of aspirants to 300

The panel of 10 judges, including Josh Yugen, president and national director of Miss Universe UAE, centre

The audition involved a strut down the runway and a Q&A round

Emirati contenders Aamna Alidi and Aya Albalooshi. The Miss Universe UAE competition is open to citizens and residents between 18 and 28 years of age

Each contestant was asked but the one question: 'Why do you deserve to be a part of the history of the UAE?'

The panellists interact with one of the contestants

Yugen said the judges are 'looking for someone who is the epitome of kindness'

By allowing all residents to participate, Miss Universe UAE hopes to promote 'inclusion and individuality'

The contenders include aspiring doctors and pilots, as well as models, students, cabin crew and martial artists

Of the 300 candidates, a shortlist of 30 will be revealed on October 20, while the final show will held at La Perle on November 7

The Miss Universe Organisation has officially opened its online voting poll for the 70th Miss Universe pageant set to be held in Eilat, Israel, on December 12.

The poll asks fans to pick their favourites to move on to the semi-finals and has headshots of each participating country’s representative, including biographies, although some nations have been left with a blank space for now, including the UAE.

Scroll through the gallery above for behind-the-scenes photos of the Miss Universe UAE auditions.

On Sunday, the planned coronation night for the first Miss Universe UAE pageant was cancelled owing to “time constraints”, according to a statement posted by organisers on their Instagram Stories.

A new date has not been announced, but the submission deadline for national winners is still 10 days away.

The names of 30 finalists were to be announced ahead of the historic coronation night, which was meant to name the first representative from the UAE at the global beauty pageant. Organisers have so far revealed the names of 25 contestants, which include three Emirati hopefuls, but have not posted any updates in more than two weeks.

The competition was not limited to UAE citizens. Josh Yugen, president and national director of Miss Universe UAE, told The National that the Miss Universe Organisation had modified the rules “to give everyone an opportunity”.

“So many of us call this country home and it will be such a matter of pride to be able to represent it on a global stage. It’s just logical,” he said.

The Miss Universe UAE website crashed hours after it went live, with a record 15,000 applicants, said Yugen, whose company, Yugen Events, has been chosen to select the first UAE representative for the global beauty contest.

National directors are being given until Saturday, November 20, to crown their winners or name their candidates, and then upload headshots and biographies to the Miss Universe poll site.

Organisers have not responded to The National's requests for comment on whether or not a local winner will still be appointed in time.