With all eyes now on Palestine, there is a growing need for more public figures to speak out against the genocide carried out by the Israeli military. While many celebrities have voiced their support, few Palestinians have been given the international platforms needed to represent their country and raise awareness.
That is set to change with Nadeen Ayoud, a model who grew up in Palestine and is now based in Dubai, recently announced as the first woman to represent Palestine at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant. She is definitely making history, and as she prepares for the highly anticipated competition, let’s take a closer look at her journey and who she is.
1. She was supposed to compete in Miss Universe back in 2022
Nadeen made history by being the first Palestinian woman to take part in the Miss Earth pageant, where she was a top-five finalist. In an interview with The National, she revealed that she was supposed to compete for Miss Universe 2022, but stayed behind because of the genocide. “I postponed it because I did not want to go when genocide was happening. I wanted to focus more on staying behind the scenes because the spotlight was supposed to be on the people in Palestine who are suffering, rather than me,” she told the publication.
2. She is the founder of the Miss Palestine Organisation
The people of Palestine continue to be silenced by the ongoing genocide. Nadeen hopes that her organisation will empower Palestinian women and help build a brighter future. “Through diverse initiatives, we strive to create lasting impact and transformative change. We fund and support women’s small businesses, provide access to quality education, and invest in medical aid programmes for hospitals and medical centres,” reads the organisation’s official website.
3. She is the founder of Olive Green Academy
Olive Green Academy is a sustainability & AI-focused content creation academy. As for the name, the olive tree is considered by many Palestinians to be a symbol of nationality and connection to the land. Shown in the video above, Nadeen hopes that her business will empower Palestinian women to build eco-friendly businesses and grow to become climate advocates.
4. She holds multiple job titles
Beauty with brains. According to Grazia magazine, the model holds a diploma in literature and psychology, along with additional certifications in health and nutrition. When she is not competing in beauty pageants or running her company as CEO, Nadeen works as a health instructor, nutrition counsellor and psychology teacher. This was her daily professional life in Palestine, but due to the ongoing genocide, she was forced to leave the country.
5. She has actively spoken up for Palestine
It is hard to imagine anyone remaining silent while their home country endures such unfathomable atrocities. Nadeen has been actively using her platform as a public figure to raise awareness of the genocide in Palestine. She has shared videos and photos highlighting the suffering of her people, urging both the public and those in power to help bring an end to the nightmare.
It goes without saying that Miss Palestine will face Miss Israel, Melanie Shiraz, in the upcoming Miss Universe 2025. While tensions may run high, we wish Nadeen Ayoub the very best and hope she continues to use her platform to speak up for her people.
Sources: Grazia Magazine, CNN, The National, NBC, Instagram (1)(2)
