Earlier this month, 27-year-old Nadeen Ayoub made history as the first-ever representative of Palestine at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant.
“I am honoured to announce that for the first time ever, Palestine will be represented at Miss Universe,” Nadeen, a former Miss Earth finalist, had said at the time.
Scheduled to take place in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand, on 21 November 2025, the pageant will mark its 74th year, with contestants from 130 countries competing.
Raised between Palestine, the US, and Canada, and with family roots spanning Yafa and the West Bank, Nadeen's debut and representation on such a huge global stage come at a critical time as Israel's genocide in Gaza nears its third year.
More than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed, at least 1.9 million people across the Gaza Strip have been displaced, and nearly a quarter of the people are now experiencing famine due to Israel's siege and blockade.
"As Palestine endures heartbreak, especially in Gaza, I carry the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced. I represent every Palestinian woman and child whose strength the world needs to see," Nadeen added in her announcement.
Speaking exclusively to The New Arab, Nadeen discusses what her major milestone means for her and her people.
Humanitarian at heart
“Before all the beauty competitions, I was focused on my humanitarian work,” Nadeen begins, reflecting on the early days of her career around 2016.
“I wanted to work with children. I taught English, supported children with special needs, and worked with humanitarian organisations to provide medical treatment, support, and mental health care. We visited hospitals and clinics across the West Bank, including Bethlehem, Nablus, Hebron, and Ramallah. I developed a love and connection to this kind of work and to the children I helped," she shared.
“I also worked with women. I ran my own nutrition and fitness business, where I provided guidance on health and wellness. Part of this work was charitable — I offered support because I knew it would also benefit their mental health. So, alongside teaching and working with children, I was helping women improve their overall well-being.”
Speaking about her shift towards beauty competitions, Nadeen explains that while working in Palestine, she saw an opportunity to establish the Miss Palestine organisation.
“I felt like this was what I was meant to do — it felt like an alignment. I was meant to use this international platform and beauty competitions to create a positive impact, to do something meaningful for my people and the world," Nadeen tells The New Arab.
“The reason I wanted to get into this work was to amplify what I was already doing and to give voice to the people I was close to — my country and the faces, voices, and souls I saw every single day while I was there.”
But founding the Miss Palestine organisation was not without its challenges. “It took me time, honestly, to build the Miss Palestine organisation with a small team, and that’s why, despite Palestine not always having the resources, we were finally able to get the support we needed to build the organisation and start going to international competitions,” she says.
Although she was crowned Miss Palestine in 2022, Nadeen notes that she delayed participating in international pageants due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But, as she puts it, what motivated her to enter this year’s competition was the need for Palestine to be represented on every international stage.
“Our voices need to be heard, especially those of women and children, along with their dreams and talents. We are more than our suffering and more than the headlines, and it’s so important to show this. It’s part of our resilience, part of our story,” she explains with pride.
'We need to thrive, not just survive'
Speaking in more detail about Palestine, Nadeen says that the history of her country, particularly the Palestinian struggle, has made her stronger and more resilient.
“I think this is also part of our personality as Palestinians. We love to live, and we can’t stand not being able to prosper. We don’t just want to survive — we need to thrive. We want to reach our dreams and always aim for the highest. This drive to do more is part of our struggle. We don’t want to be seen only through the headlines. We are more than our suffering and the pain we are experiencing,” Nadeen explains.
“This is something that’s happening to us, but it’s not who we are. It’s important to recognise that our identity is not our struggle. Our identity is our culture, our history, our personalities, our fashion, our embroidery, our food, our heritage. This is who we are as people, and we can’t forget that, and we can’t let the world forget that, alongside our suffering and what’s being normalised in the headlines.
“I don’t want the pain and the struggle to be seen as normal. It’s important to speak up and not remain silent about it, but we also need to show ourselves and our beauty. And when I say beauty, I don’t just mean physical beauty — I mean the beauty of our nation and our culture.”
True beauty lies in action
Looking ahead, Nadeen reflects on how she hopes this role will shape both her life and her community’s future.
“I think this role will shape my life and my community’s future by giving women and children the chance to have their voices heard and to show the world that we are more than our suffering. It’s about giving them opportunities to express themselves and providing as much support as I possibly can," Nadeen tells The New Arab.
“Of course, this should be a collective effort. I want to inspire other women to follow my example, and for little girls to look up to me, follow my steps, give back to their community, and support their country. I want them to show the world that we love to live and that we are always willing to help as many people as possible. This is truly what makes us women. It’s our nurturing, and that’s where our true beauty lies — not just in words, but in action as well.”
Nadeen also shares her thoughts on what it means to be Miss Universe in today’s world.
“I see Miss Universe as a platform for women to use their voices to inspire change, to work on important causes, and to speak up for those in need — children, women, and innocent people who need a voice. Being in this position is both a responsibility and a privilege, and we must use it to help others. That’s what being a beauty queen really means," she explains.
“I see this role as redefining beauty. Being a beauty queen isn’t just about appearance; it’s about being beautiful inside first and reflecting that inner beauty through your actions and towards the people around you.”
Zainab Mehdi is The New Arab's Associate Editor and researcher specialising in governance, development, and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa region
Follow her on Instagram: @zaiamehdi_/@zainabmehdiwrites_