First representative of Palestine to participate in the beauty competition of Miss Universe, Nadeen Ayoub says she wants to take advantage of this platform to show another facet of the Palestinian identity and “humanize” the image of a often reduced people, according to her, to their sufferings.
In the midst of a war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the 27 -year -old woman is about to use the Miss Palestine scarf for the first time in the history of competition, next November in Thailand.
An “humanized” image of the Palestinians
An opportunity, he says, to highlight the beauty of his homeland, the richness of his inheritance and a “humanized” image of its inhabitants.
“We are not just our struggles and suffering,” said the young woman with long and brown hair. The Palestinian people, “are also children who want to live, women who have dreams and aspirations.”
Miss Universe had confirmed in a statement in CNN the participation of the young woman. The organization “proudly receives delegates from all over the world”, and Nadeen Ayoub, “consummated activist and Palestinian model, incorporates resilience and determination, as our platform,” was written.
Nadeen Ayoub, who grew between the West Bank, the United States and Canada, and now lives between Ramallah, Amman (Jordan) and Dubai, has not always frequented beauty competitions.
“My parents were academics, so they pushed me to concentrate on my studies,” he told AFP during an interview at the Emirate of the Gulf, where he founded a training organization for content creators, linked to sustainable development and artificial intelligence.
A double diploma and a humanitarian work
Graduated in English literature and psychology, began teaching and working for humanitarian organizations in the occupied territories before receiving a parade in Italy, during which it will be noticed.
Then, the professionals encouraged him to participate in international competitions, beginning through the development of the national franchise of Miss Palestine.
“Even something as simple as the creation of an organization is difficult for us (…) for other countries, it is not necessary to say it. For us, it has taken decades,” said Nadeen Ayoub.
One of the difficulties lies in the fact that 50% of the Palestinians live abroad, and 50% between Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, hence the need to organize an online competition to be representative, he explains.
Chosen in 2022, the first winner participated in the Miss Terre competition and invests in the philanthropic activities of the organization, but stopped competitions when the war begins in Gaza, caused by an unprecedented attack in Hamas, on October 7, 2023, in Israeli territory.
“Our people need a voice”
The attack led to the death of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, and caused Israeli retaliations that left more than 64,600 dead in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas Ministry of Health considered reliable by the UN. While the offensive has continued for almost two years, Miss Palestine now believes that it is necessary to take advantage of the slightest opportunity “to talk about Palestine, show Palestine, in an international scene.”
“Our people need a voice, we don’t want our identity to erase,” he said. Israel last month approved a project that compromises any territorial continuity of a possible Palestinian state, after several Western countries, including France and Canada, have committed to recognize that state in the next General Assembly of the United Nations at the end of September.
But Nadeen Ayoub emphasizes that Palestine is already recognized by most UN members. “It’s a nation and I’m going to represent a country as such,” he said. Before, then, to pass the torch to a new Palestinian lady.
Source: BFM TV
