Nadeen Ayoub

Early Life and Education

Nadeen Ayoub was born on August 23, 1998, in Michigan, United States, to Palestinian parents who had temporarily relocated there to seek medical treatment for her epileptic brother. Her mother was born in Hebron and her father in Nablus, with grandparents who were displaced from Jaffa and Ramle in 1948. Shortly after her birth, the family returned to Ramallah in the West Bank, where Ayoub was raised until the age of six. The family then moved back to the United States, living for approximately three years across Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota. During her teenage years, Ayoub's family relocated to Canada, where she completed her secondary education, adding to a childhood that also included periods living in Ontario, Canada, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Ayoub pursued higher education at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and psychology. As part of her studies, she participated in an exchange program with Birzeit University in Palestine, maintaining a strong connection to her heritage. After graduating, she moved back to Ramallah, where she worked as a teacher at the local Friends School and volunteered with humanitarian organisations like United for Humanity and the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.

Pageantry Career and Historic Achievements

Nadeen Ayoub's pageantry career represents a series of historic firsts for Palestinian representation in international competitions. Her journey into major pageants began after she was approached by recruiters and competed in Miss Europe, where she placed in the top five. This exposure led to an invitation to represent Palestine at Miss Earth 2022, one of the world's four major pageants alongside Miss Universe and Miss World. At the Miss Earth competition in the Philippines, which focuses on environmental advocacy, Ayoub advanced to the final top five question-and-answer round. In her response, she identified human ignorance and selfishness as a root cause of environmental issues and proposed corrective educational campaigns involving governmental and non-governmental organisations in Palestine. At the conclusion of the event, she was crowned Miss Earth, Water, becoming the first Palestinian to ever win a title at a major international beauty pageant. Following this success, Ayoub was spotted by representatives from the Miss Sweden organisation during a modelling session in Italy, who assisted her in establishing the Miss Universe Palestine organisation. In August 2025, this newly formed organisation announced Ayoub as the entrant for Miss Universe 2025, marking the official debut of Palestine in the contest's history. Her participation was welcomed by the Miss Universe Organization as part of its mission celebrating diversity, cultural exchange, and women's empowerment.

Ayoub's path to the Miss Universe stage was not straightforward, as she initially postponed her planned participation following the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023. She stated she did not want the spotlight on herself while people in Palestine were suffering, choosing instead to focus on behind-the-scenes support. However, by 2025, the worsening humanitarian situation convinced her of the critical need for Palestinian representation on global platforms. She trained with the Kagandahang Flores pageant camp in the Philippines and was sponsored by American makeup artist Huda Kattan's brand, Huda Beauty. At the Miss Universe 2025 competition in Thailand, Ayoub reached the top 30, becoming the only Arab contestant to progress to that stage, with Mexico's Fatima Bosch ultimately winning the crown. Her participation garnered significant international media attention and was noted for its geopolitical context amid the Gaza war. Ayoub stated her mission was to challenge perceptions of Palestinians and empower women and children, using the platform to speak about the injustices in Gaza.

Controversy and Advocacy at Miss Universe 2025

The 74th Miss Universe pageant in 2025 was marked by several scandals and intense media scrutiny, within which Nadeen Ayoub's historic participation became a focal point. The event itself faced controversies including the resignation of three judges, allegations of preselected finalists, and injuries to other contestants. Ayoub's involvement drew particular attention due to the perceived animosity between her and Miss Israel, Melanie Shiraz. Media outlets and social media users noted a viral clip that appeared to show Shiraz glaring at Ayoub during the opening ceremony, an observation Shiraz denied, claiming the footage was edited. According to Ayoub, Shiraz had repeatedly attempted to take a photograph beside her while holding an Israeli flag. Both contestants reported receiving death threats following the incident, with Ayoub's threats coming after Shiraz posted a video in October 2025 criticising Ayoub's legitimacy and accusing her of spreading propaganda. Despite the tension, Ayoub noted that most contestants were supportive, with Miss Canada and Miss Kyrgyzstan expressing hope that she would win for Palestine. She described the backstage atmosphere as sometimes reminiscent of the film 'Mean Girls,' citing instances where Miss Iraq attempted to elicit her sympathy for Shiraz. Throughout the competition, Ayoub received public support from figures like model Bella Hadid and her sponsor, Huda Kattan. She used her national costume and wardrobe, which included designs from Palestinian and international designers, to express her cultural identity, such as a swimsuit cape trimmed in traditional Palestinian embroidery.

Post-Pageantry Ventures and Humanitarian Work

Beyond the pageant stage, Nadeen Ayoub has established herself as an entrepreneur, educator, and dedicated humanitarian. In 2024, she was offered a position at the SEE Institute in Dubai, an educational institution focused on sustainability, and as of November 2025, she trains content creators interested in the topic. In Dubai, she also founded the Olive Green Academy, an organisation that administers courses related to artificial intelligence and sustainability, with a particular focus on educating women. Ayoub is a certified wellness and nutrition coach, having completed certification programs in fitness and nutrition while still in high school. She has worked professionally as a women's fitness coach and nutrition counsellor in the West Bank. Her humanitarian efforts are extensive and focused on her community. She has been involved in fundraising for children's cancer treatment and medical aid, specifically initiating a fundraiser to support a hospital in Nablus. Ayoub remains deeply committed to the Palestinian arts community, working with groups to promote Palestinian culture and uplift local creators. Based periodically in Qatar, she regularly meets with young Arab women to discuss their futures, overcoming challenges, and building confidence. Her advocacy work consistently ties back to her core mission of empowering Palestinian women and children and ensuring their stories are heard on international platforms.

Launching Miss Palestine 2026

Building on her historic participation, Nadeen Ayoub is now playing a central role in institutionalising Palestinian representation in pageantry by leading the inaugural Miss Palestine 2026 competition. As the first national competition of its kind in recent history, it aims to select her successor who will represent Palestine at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in November 2026. Ayoub will host the competition under the theme 'Beauty Beyond Borders.' The Miss Palestine Organisation states the programme will combine traditional pageantry elements with mentorship, leadership development, and cultural representation, offering a platform that Ayoub felt was absent when she began her journey. The competition is open to Palestinian women aged 18 to 35, both those living in Palestine and across the global diaspora. Final casting will take place in Palestine and Jordan, culminating in a grand finale in Jordan in October 2026. The organisation is actively seeking sponsors and partnerships with brands, non-governmental organisations, cultural institutions, and media outlets to support the programme. In announcing the competition, Ayoub emphasised its significance, stating, 'Miss Palestine is more than a title. It is a platform for Palestinian women to be seen, heard and supported, to represent our identity with confidence, share our talents with the world and create impact beyond the stage.' This initiative marks a formal step in creating a sustained pipeline for Palestinian representation, addressing Ayoub's earlier experience of competing almost as a 'one-woman show' without a large agency behind her.

Personal Life and Identity

Nadeen Ayoub describes herself as a 'Palestinian international citizen,' a reflection of her multinational upbringing and current lifestyle. She splits her time primarily between Ramallah in the West Bank, Amman in Jordan, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Her parents live in Canada, and she has extended family across the West Bank and Jordan, maintaining strong familial ties to the region. Ayoub's personal life has intersected with public scrutiny, particularly following her December 2025 interview with Middle East Eye. After the interview, she reported being subjected to online harassment and personal attacks from pro-Israel groups such as Betar USA and StopAntisemitism. The focus of the attacks included references to her previous marriage to Sharaf Barghouti, the son of imprisoned Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti, whom Ayoub had described as a figure of pride and a 'peace symbol' for Palestinians. This online vitriol was compared by Middle East Eye to similar attacks launched by the same groups against children's content creator Ms. Rachel. Despite these challenges, Ayoub remains grounded in her Palestinian heritage, which she credits as the foundation for her confidence and pride. She has stated that her family ensured she remained connected to her roots despite living across multiple countries, with her family history spanning from Yafa (Jaffa) throughout the West Bank.

Key Pageantry and Career Milestones

Nadeen Ayoub's career is defined by a series of groundbreaking milestones that have established new avenues for Palestinian representation. These include her 2022 win as Miss Earth, Water, which made her the first Palestinian to claim a major international pageant title. Her announcement as Miss Universe Palestine in August 2025 formally introduced Palestine to that global competition for the first time. Later that year, she competed in Thailand, advancing to the top 30 and standing as the only Arab contestant to reach that stage. In 2024, she began her work in sustainability education in Dubai, founding the Olive Green Academy. By 2026, she had launched the inaugural Miss Palestine competition to build a lasting system for selecting future representatives. Her ongoing humanitarian work focuses on fundraising for medical aid in Nablus and advocating for Palestinian women and culture, illustrating her evolution from a history-making contestant to an organiser building a lasting legacy.

• 2022: Crowned Miss Earth, Water, becoming the first Palestinian to win a title at a major international pageant.
• August 2025: Announced as Miss Universe Palestine 2025, marking Palestine's debut in the Miss Universe competition.
• Late 2025: Competes at Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand, reaching the Top 30 and becoming the only Arab finalist at that stage.
• 2024: Accepts a position training content creators at the SEE Institute in Dubai and founds the Olive Green Academy.
• 2026: Launches and hosts the inaugural Miss Palestine 2026 competition to select her successor for Miss Universe.
• Ongoing: Leads humanitarian fundraising for children's medical aid in Nablus and advocates for Palestinian women's empowerment and cultural promotion.

Nadeen Ayoub made history as the first Palestinian to win a major international beauty pageant title at Miss Earth 2022 and as the first representative of Palestine at Miss Universe 2025. Following her own competitive career, she is now helping to build a lasting platform for future representatives. She is hosting and helping to select her successor through the inaugural Miss Palestine 2026 national competition. This new contest aims to offer Palestinian women mentorship and leadership development alongside traditional pageantry.

Questions about Nadeen Ayoub

What is Nadeen Ayoub's connection to Canada?

Nadeen Ayoub has significant ties to Canada through her family and education. Her parents currently reside in Canada, and she moved there during her teenage years to complete her secondary education. She pursued post-secondary studies at the University of Western Ontario, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and psychology. Her multinational upbringing, which included periods in the United States, Palestine, and the United Arab Emirates, was anchored by her family's time in Canada, which she considers a key part of her formative years.

What did Nadeen Ayoub achieve at Miss Earth 2022?

At Miss Earth 2022 in the Philippines, Nadeen Ayoub made history by becoming the first Palestinian to win a title at a major international beauty pageant. She advanced to the final top five, participating in the question-and-answer round where she spoke about environmental issues. At the end of the competition, she was awarded the title of Miss Earth, Water, one of the elemental crowns given to the top finalists. Her win was a landmark moment for Palestinian representation in global pageantry.

Why was Nadeen Ayoub's participation in Miss Universe 2025 significant?

Nadeen Ayoub's participation in Miss Universe 2025 was historic because it marked the first time Palestine was represented in the Miss Universe competition. Her participation was announced in August 2025 by the newly formed Miss Universe Palestine organization. It received significant international attention due to its timing amid the Gaza war. Ayoub stated her mission was to challenge perceptions of Palestinians and empower women and children on the global platform.

What is the Miss Palestine 2026 competition?

Miss Palestine 2026 is the first national pageant of its kind in recent history, launched to formally select a successor to Nadeen Ayoub. Ayoub is hosting the competition under the theme 'Beauty Beyond Borders.' It is open to Palestinian women aged 18 to 35 living in Palestine and across the diaspora. The winner will represent Palestine at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November 2026. The programme combines pageantry with mentorship and leadership development, aiming to create a sustained platform for Palestinian women.

What other work does Nadeen Ayoub do outside of pageantry?

Outside of pageantry, Nadeen Ayoub is an entrepreneur, educator, and humanitarian. She founded the Olive Green Academy in Dubai, which offers courses in artificial intelligence and sustainability for women. She also trains content creators on sustainability topics for the SEE Institute in Dubai. Ayoub is a certified wellness and nutrition coach and has worked as a fitness instructor and counsellor. Her humanitarian work includes fundraising for children's medical aid, particularly for a hospital in Nablus, and promoting Palestinian arts and culture.

What controversy surrounded Ayoub at Miss Universe 2025?

At Miss Universe 2025, controversy arose from a perceived tense interaction with Miss Israel, Melanie Shiraz. A viral clip appeared to show Shiraz glaring at Ayoub, which Shiraz denied, claiming the video was edited. Ayoub stated that Shiraz had tried to take photos with her while holding an Israeli flag. Both contestants reported receiving death threats following the incident. The controversy highlighted the geopolitical tensions surrounding Ayoub's historic participation and drew significant media and social media attention during the event.

Sources and further reading

• Nadeen Ayoub (Wikipedia)
• Nadeen Ayoub to help select Palestine's Miss Universe ... (thenationalnews.com)
• Nadeen Ayoub: Passionate Humanitarian Making History ... (imeu.org)
• The First Miss Palestine Has Seen Some Things (thecut.com)

Checked by the Novello Desserts desk. Last updated 2026-10-25.