Mariam Mohamed is ready to make history. As the first Emirati to represent the UAE in the Miss Universe pageant, the moment isn’t lost on her. Next month, she will step on to one of the world’s most-watched stages as she heads to Thailand to take part in the competition.
“I felt really, really proud,” she recalls of the moment she learnt she had been chosen. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime – and a responsibility.”
For now, though, she is still a student juggling coursework, catwalk drills and a family WhatsApp chat on which her mother is, inevitably, her loudest cheerleader.
Beyond pageantry, Mohamed’s new-found love of camels and falcons reflects the heritage she hopes to showcase at Miss Universe.
Rooted in Sharjah
Mohamed was born and raised in Sharjah, calling her experience of the emirate "one of the best things" in her life. “It’s the capital of education, the capital of art, culture and architecture," she says. She enjoys the emirate's quiet intellectual rhythm, its museums and galleries, and how Arab art, especially works by Khaleeji artists, is a constant part of her surroundings. “They really celebrate art here and I’ve always been surrounded by creativity.”
Her family home sits in what she calls “the new Sharjah”, about 15 minutes from the Dubai border. Thanks to the proximity, she spends her free time exploring both cities and enjoys trying new restaurants.
Her family is small and close. Mohamed is the younger of two siblings and her mother, by every measure, is the fulcrum. “My number-one supporter,” she says. "If sometimes I doubt myself a little bit, she tells me, 'You can do it. Go for it.'" She hopes her mother will be in Thailand for the pageant.
From Miss Arab World to Miss Universe UAE
Mohamed’s first brush with pageantry came in 2022, when she entered Miss Arab World, winning the Miss Arab UAE title and then finishing runner-up at the finals in Egypt. Although she fell short, she says the experience was still meaningful. “I met a lot of people from different nationalities,” she adds. “Some of the girls I’m still in touch with to this day.”
In the run-up to Miss Universe UAE, Mohamed spent time in Bali for an “empowerment journey”. It consisted of a series of workshops, stage practice and long days of being observed and observing. Thereafter, the contestants were brought back to Dubai for interviews with a selection panel and, at an intimate ceremony, she was crowned.
Mohamed is the first Emirati to hold the title, succeeding Emilia Dobreva, a Kosovo-born model and long-time Dubai resident, who represented the UAE in its debut last year.
When she first entered pageantry, she received her share of online comments. “I was younger and more sensitive then,” she recalls. “Now, time has taught me not to listen to unnecessary things. When you know who you are, nothing can shake you.”
Her response to the criticism, she says, is to keep moving. “I just remind myself to be brave enough to face it – brave enough to take the next step forward.”
Training for the world stage
Preparation has started again for Mohamed, who’s looking forward to her catwalk drills and her ongoing work with a speech coach. She is studying how others handle questions, through podcasts, YouTube interviews and panel clips, pausing, replaying, mimicking cadence and editing out filler words. “I have to be ready for everything, especially at this big event,” she says of Miss Universe.
Mohamed is excited about having a roommate in Thailand, the first extended friendship of the competition – as well as an itinerary packed with rehearsals, media and ritual. She is most looking forward to meeting the other women, to compare notes on the various routes that led them to the same stage.
What does she hope people think of when "Miss Universe UAE" is called on? “That we can achieve anything while being modest, while staying true to our values and ourselves,” says Mohamed.
Although she doesn't want to get too far ahead of herself, when asked to imagine the crown on her head and her initial reaction, she knows where her focus would be.
She says she would use the platform to spotlight Emirati creative talent, such as fashion designers and industry leaders in the UAE, and to push for a less toxic internet. She would also plan to launch a fashion brand and give a donation to charity.
Although there will be nerves on competition day, does she already think of herself as a queen? “Of course,” she says, before adding that any woman “working hard on herself, achieving her dreams … supporting each other and uplifting others" should be considered one, too.
Redefining representation
Entering a beauty pageant as an Emirati comes with some scrutiny, Mohamed acknowledges. She says she knows that her public visibility has not been, and will not be, easy.
“In whatever field you are in, sometimes people will criticise you or try to bring you down. There were times when I wasn’t really happy about what was being said,” Mohamed says.
Pageants in the region have long been cautious undertakings, not, Mohamed suggests, because women here lack interest, but because institutions tend to tread carefully when deciding what to endorse. In spaces where cultural debates often cast women as symbols or adversaries, she wants no part in either framing.
That conversation is changing, though, in the Gulf and on the world stage. The Miss Universe organisation has evolved, too, widening eligibility in recent years.
Mohamed approves of mothers being allowed to compete, for example, saying: "Why not give opportunities to every woman? We respect our modesty and our traditions,” she says, citing the recent participation of other Gulf contestants as proof of a broader shift.
“I believe you can join any industry while respecting your values. We shouldn’t have limiting thoughts. There is always room for growth, always room for peace.”
