Nadeen Ayoub will make history this year as the first woman to represent the Palestinian people at the Miss Universe pageant, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) confirmed on Sunday.
Ayoub, 27, was crowned Miss Palestine in 2022 and will compete in the 74th Miss Universe competition, scheduled for November 21 in Bangkok, Thailand. She will join delegates from more than 130 countries and territories.
In a statement to CNN, MUO said it was “pleased to confirm” Ayoub’s participation, describing her as “an accomplished advocate and model from Palestine” who “embodies the resilience and determination that define our platform.”
Ayoub expressed her pride in representing Palestine in a post on Instagram last week. “I am honored to announce that for the first time ever, Palestine will be represented at Miss Universe,” she wrote. “As Palestine endures heartbreak — especially in Gaza — I carry the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced. We are more than our suffering — we are resilience, hope, and the heartbeat of a homeland that lives on through us.”
The historic entry comes against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, where at least 62,004 people have been killed since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. The majority of casualties, the ministry and the United Nations say, are women and children.
