Saudi Arabia sends its representative to the world beauty contest for the first time in history

The representative of Saudi Arabia, 29-year-old Rumy al-Qahtani, for the first time in the history of the kingdom, will take part in the international beauty contest Miss Universe 2024, which will be held in September in Mexico.

The Saudi beauty has participated in the beauty contests Miss Asia Malaysia, Miss Arab World, Miss Europe, Miss Arab Unity and Miss Middle East. Modeling for Rumy is just an exciting hobby, she is a dentist by profession. In her free time, she runs Instagram, where she has over a million followers.

However, it is not the personality of Rumy al-Qahtani that is important in the issue of Saudi Arabia's participation in an international beauty contest, but the very fact of entering the podium of a once-closed kingdom with very limited women's rights. After all, until 2017, when Saudi women were allowed to drive a car, Saudi women could only dream of an independent life and career. Some time later, they were given voting rights and given the opportunity to hold public office, later they were allowed to attend football matches, engage in many sports, train in special women's fitness centers, and girls were allowed to go to physical education classes at school. An important milestone was the opportunity for foreigners not to wear hijabs on the territory of the kingdom, which until recently was unthinkable.

Saudi Arabia's participation in the contest, where the contestants wear open clothes, can be safely considered the country's entry to a new level of publicity. However, officials of the kingdom, in particular, the Ministry of Culture and affiliated groups responsible for fashion and art, preferred not to publish information about the country's participation in the beauty contest.

Along with Saudi Arabia, Iran will make its debut in the Miss Universe pageant this year.