Saudi Arabia is poised to step onto the global stage of beauty and poise, announcing its debut participation in this year’s Miss Universe pageant with model Rumy al-Qahtani. The kingdom’s inaugural entry in the beauty contest marks a historic moment in the pageant’s legacy, promising to add a fresh dimension of cultural diversity and representation to the esteemed competition.
The news broke after the award-winning Saudi model al-Qahtani announced her participation in a social media post. Taking to Instagram, al-Qahtani expressed her excitement, saying (in Arabic), “Honored to participate in Miss Universe 2024.” She added, “This is the first participation of Saudi Arabia in the Miss Universe competition,” while posing with the Saudi flag and a sash that reads “Miss Universe Saudi Arabia.”
Rumy Alqahtani, a 27-year-old model and content creator from Riyadh, has been entrusted with the honor of representing Saudi Arabia at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant.
The Riyadh-born model is among pageantry veterans, having represented the Kingdom in numerous other events including Miss Arab Peace, Miss Planet, Miss Middle East, and more.
Al-Qahtani has over a million followers on Instagram and has been spotted wearing clothes that represent Saudi designs in various events. In interviews with the news media, she has highlighted her desire to promote Saudi Arabia’s culture and heritage.
With a bachelor’s degree in dentistry under her belt, she has represented Saudi Arabia on numerous international platforms, participating in esteemed pageants such as Miss Asia in Malaysia, Miss Middle East (Saudi Arabia), Miss Arab World Peace 2021, Miss Woman (Saudi Arabia), and Miss Europe, showcasing her fluency in English, French, and Arabic.
Saudi Arabia’s entry into the Miss Universe pageant coincides with Iran’s inaugural appearance, marking another first-time participant in the competition. Last year’s Miss Universe pageant broke barriers with the inclusion of two transgender contestants and plus-size model Jane Dipika from Nepal, marking the first time a plus-sized contestant reached the semi-finals.
