Dubai: Miss Universe Lebanon 2023 Maya Aboul Hosn will represent Lebanon at the 72nd Miss Universe pageant to be held in El Salvador on November 18th.
Who is she behind all the glitz and glamor? Arab News interviewed the beauty queen candidate ahead of her Miss Universe debut.
Born and raised in a small village in Lebanon, Abul Hosn has always been in the spotlight.
“From an early age, I used my parents’ flip phones to take photos and make short videos documenting my days. There was no social media back then, so I lived in my own world. , when social media became popular when I was 19, I decided to pursue it more seriously,” she said.
“I’ve always wanted to represent my country in some way. When the opportunity to be part of Miss Lebanon came, I couldn’t say no,” Abul Hoson said.
Juggling two jobs while attending university full-time proved difficult for Abul Hosn, but she had a goal and wanted to prove herself.
“I graduated from university in 2019 and at first it was very difficult to find a job. Then in October the Lebanese revolution happened, which led to the economic crisis, and then a few months later… COVID-19 A viral infection occurred,” she said. she said.
“When the coronavirus broke out, many Lebanese moved to the mountains. That’s when I started documenting my daily life on Instagram in earnest, and people liked it. “Before participating in Miss Lebanon, I was able to gather more than 100,000 followers,” she said.
After being named runner-up in the Miss Lebanon 2022 contest, Maya joined the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation’s international channel as a morning show host.
She told Arab News about her least favorite aspect of the competition process. “The idea that the judges are evaluating our appearance, our answers, our beauty, I don’t like this part of the contest because there’s no beauty standard.” I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer. There is neither beauty nor ugliness. However, things are changing. The standards for beauty pageants are different now. There are no age restrictions. They teach women how to embrace their individuality. That’s why I want to encourage girls to always embrace their uniqueness. You are cute just the way you are. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
“Most people say that humans have only beauty and no brains. That is absolutely false. We are all educated and have plans for the future. That’s why we is here to use our platform for change and spread awareness,” she said.
Abul Hoson hopes to use his platform to set an example for the Arab world.
“My main aim is to be a role model for all girls. I come from a very humble family. I am not a rich princess. I work hard to achieve what I want. “I worked hard. And that’s what I want every girl to know: If you work hard, you can achieve your dreams and goals,” she said.
With the competition just around the corner, Abul Hoson said she has begun a rigorous preparation routine.
“I’m very excited, but it’s a big responsibility because I’m representing my country. So I’m working hard and I’m going to give them the best I can,” she said.
“I started eating very healthy because it was good for my figure and my skin. I woke up in the morning, had breakfast, and then did sports. Then I did three hours of public speaking every day and got guidance from a life coach. I’m working with another instructor on my cause, the catwalk, and the Miss Universe wardrobe. It’s very busy, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
A big part of the Miss Universe show is the national costume section, and the Lebanese candidate revealed details about her costume.
“This dress was designed by a Lebanese designer. His name is Elio Musallem. It was inspired by Lebanese (regal) traditional dress, the Lebanese landscape. And our… “The symbol is the cedar of Lebanon. The cedar is a crown, a symbol of power and control, strength and courage,” she said.
With only three Arab countries competing in this year’s Miss Universe pageant, the other contestants being Miss Bahrain and Miss Egypt, Abul Houn appealed to the Arab world for support.
“I really need all the women, all the people in the Arab world to support me, because I need it. I’m an Arab. I’m representing my country. “I’m really doing this not just for me, but for my country and the Arab world,” she said.