Saudi Arabia may have its first Miss Universe contestant this year, organizers said this week, after a fashion model and influencer claimed she has been chosen. “The Miss Universe Organization is currently going through a rigorous screening process to select a potential candidate to be awarded the Saudi Arabian franchise,” Maria Jose Unda, the organization’s international relations coordinator, said in a statement to AFP.
“We will decide on the national director for Saudi Arabia very soon,” he said. He said it was “possible” for Saudi Arabia to add a contestant before the next edition of the contest in September. Mexico. The statement comes after Saudi model Rumi al-Qahtani created a buzz online in late March when she posted to her millions of Instagram followers that she felt “honored” to represent Saudi Arabia at Miss Universe in the upcoming event. Are.
The posts included photos of Qahtani, a 27-year-old native of Riyadh, in a sequined dress holding a green Saudi flag inscribed with the Shahada, or Islamic creed. Less than a week later, Miss Universe released a statement calling Qahtani’s post “false and misleading” and saying that no selection process was conducted in the Gulf Kingdom.
If that happens, fielding a Miss Universe candidate would be another step in Saudi Arabia’s effort to soften its ultra-conservative image as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, tries to lure tourists and investors. Are. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, has long been associated with repression of women due to former rules such as a ban on driving and a requirement to wear abaya garments.
Although those restrictions have been lifted, human rights activists say a personal status law that took effect in 2022 still discriminates against women in matters related to marriage, divorce and child-rearing.
And the broader campaign against dissent has included women, including key activists. These include two women who in 2022 received decades-long prison sentences for social media posts critical of the government.
‘Negative Comments’
Speaking at her Riyadh home with her mother and three sisters, Qahtani said she was “talking” about participating in Miss Universe, but declined to provide further details. “The Miss Universe committee has contacted me to represent Saudi Arabia,” she told AFP in her first interview since her Instagram post went viral in March. “The Miss Universe committee approached me to represent Saudi Arabia. Conversations started but it was during the month of Ramadan and I couldn’t respond.” Wasn’t able to give.”
“We are still negotiating, and hopefully there will be a happy outcome.” Miss Universe official Maria Jose Unda said the process required to organize the Miss Universe Saudi Arabia pageant requires a national director to select a representative to send to Mexico. “If Saudi Arabia wants to participate in the contest, it will have to go through the same selection process as every other candidate,” she said.
Qahtani told AFP that she had previously competed in various pageants in the Middle East and Europe and was photographed with several sashes she said she had received at competitions. She described having to answer many unexpected questions about Saudi Arabia during her attempt to take the beauty pageant world by storm, including a question from a fellow contestant in Europe who wanted to know if she could live in her home country. Stores barrels of crude oil.
Meanwhile she has tried to manage a potential backlash at home, including from more conservative Saudis who objected to her clothing or her decision to pose wrapped in the Saudi flag on Instagram last year. “There were some negative comments made about the way I dressed and when I portrayed myself with the flag, which people considered indecent clothing,” she said.
However, he also said that he had no regrets. “Many sports supporters picture themselves with the flag the same way I did,” he said. “Even in beauty pageants, each girl carries her country’s flag, so I didn’t mean to be offensive at all.” Rumi’s mother Fawzia Ayed told AFP she hoped her daughter would persevere despite the criticism.
“I always tell her to move forward and for a Saudi girl she has come a long way. Before, (society) was closed and strict,” she said. “Rumi has encouraged a lot of girls. I have seen many approach her and ask her how she reached this level, and that they would also like to participate.”
