Bangkok: Nadeen Ayoub will make history this November as the first-ever contestant to represent Palestine at the Miss Universe pageant.
The 27-year-old model and fitness trainer, crowned Miss Palestine in 2022, will compete in the 74th edition of the global competition, to be held in Thailand on November 21, 2025.
Ayoub, who lives between Ramallah and Dubai, previously represented Palestine at the Miss Earth 2022 contest in the Philippines, where she placed third.
She shared on Instagram: “Today, I step onto the Miss Universe stage not just with a title but with a truth … I represent every Palestinian woman and child whose strength the world needs to see. We are more than our suffering — we are resilience, hope and the heartbeat of a homeland that lives on through us.”
“There hasn’t been another Miss Palestine since 2022, due to the genocide,” Ayoub told The National. “I postponed Miss Universe because I did not want to go when genocide was happening. I wanted the spotlight to be on people in Palestine who were suffering, rather than on me.”
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The Miss Universe Organization welcomed her participation, praising Ayoub as a symbol of strength and diversity. Organizers said her presence reflects the pageant’s commitment to women’s empowerment and cultural representation.
This year’s competition will also see Saudi Arabia and Mozambique participate for the first time. Contestants from more than 130 countries are expected to compete in Thailand.
Ayoub’s debut marks not only a personal milestone but also a historic moment of recognition for Palestine on one of the world’s biggest cultural stages.