DUBAI: US Iraqi beauty mogul Huda Kattan this week showed her support for Nadeen Ayoub, the first Miss Palestine, who will compete in the 74th Miss Universe pageant taking place in November in Pak Kret, Thailand.
Kattan took to Instagram to share a photo with Ayoub, writing: “We’re so proud to support the first-EVER Miss Palestine @nadeen.m.ayoub to compete in Miss Universe. This moment is so much bigger than pageantry. It’s about strength, pride and representation.”
Kattan has been outspoken in her support for Palestine and has used her platforms to raise awareness about the war in Gaza.
She regularly shares footage and updates from Gaza on her social media accounts to amplify awareness. In 2023, she announced a $1 million donation to two humanitarian organizations working in the region: Human Appeal and Doctors Without Borders.
In July, she teamed up with US-based Palestinian singer Saint Levant to support Palestine.
The partnership introduces a new shade of the brand’s popular faux filler lip oil, with proceeds going to organizations that support Palestinian causes.
Named “Kalamantina,” the shade references Saint Levant’s song of the same name, released earlier this year. The lip oil also features a clementine scent.
“This is for the homeland,” Kattan wrote on the brand’s Instagram page at the time, alongside orange and Palestinian flag emojis. “In honor of this collaboration, Huda Beauty will make a donation to organizations supporting Palestinian agriculture and cultural preservation.”
Meanwhile, Ayoub lives between Ramallah, Amman and Dubai — where she founded an organization that trains content creators on sustainability and artificial intelligence.
She grew up in the occupied West Bank, the US and Canada.
After earning degrees in English literature and psychology, she went on to teach and work for NGOs in the occupied territories.
But after modeling at a fashion show in Italy, people working in the industry encouraged her to compete in beauty pageants, so she launched a Miss Palestine franchise.
In 2022, the first Miss Palestine pageant was held online to allow Palestinians scattered abroad, in Israel, and in the occupied territories to participate.
As the first winner of the title, Ayoub has worked on the organization’s philanthropic activities and in 2022 competed in Miss Earth, an environmentally minded pageant.
But since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, she has not participated in any beauty pageants.
