Khadija Omar is the first Miss World Somalia and the first hijabi contestant to take part in the beauty pageant. Photo: Khadija Omar
Khadija Omar is the first Miss World Somalia and the first hijabi contestant to take part in the beauty pageant. Photo: Khadija Omar
Khadija Omar is the first Miss World Somalia and the first hijabi contestant to take part in the beauty pageant. Photo: Khadija Omar
Khadija Omar is the first Miss World Somalia and the first hijabi contestant to take part in the beauty pageant. Photo: Khadija Omar

First hijabi Miss World contestant makes top 40, alongside Philippines, India and US


Katy Gillett
  • English
  • Arabic

Khadija Omar, the first hijab-wearing Miss World contestant and the first to represent her home country, Somalia, has made it to the top 40.

The world-renowned beauty pageant, which was postponed in December after an outbreak of Covid-19 among contestants and staff, recently announced its fast-track 15 winners and 25 judges' choices.

Miss Somalia was chosen by the judges, alongside participants from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Malaysia, China and Iceland, to name a few.

Miss Philippines and Miss India were both announced in the top 15, alongside women from England, the US and Nepal.

See photos of Miss World 2021 contestants in Puerto Rico:

"Words cannot express how proud I am of the milestones we’ve crossed this year and last," Omar wrote on Instagram as the top 40 names were announced. "Somalia has made so much history and continues to do so.

"Making the top 40 has shown me just how much hard work really pays off and how dreams really do come true. To everyone who supported me through this journey, I will forever be grateful. To my country and my team, thank you for giving me this opportunity, I will do my best to continue making you proud."

The reigning Miss World is Toni-Ann Singh. She is the longest title-holder in history following the delay of the annual beauty pageant for the second year.

Singh, who is Miss Jamaica World 2019, was crowned Miss World in 2019 but held on to her title after the event was cancelled in 2020 owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2021 finals will now take place in Puerto Rico on March 16.

"Congratulations to our Top 40 who are invited to return to San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 12th to continue their quest to be crowned the 70th Miss World," read a post on Facebook from the Miss World Organisation.

"Julia Morley and her Miss World team would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the contestants from the 97 countries that have contributed so much to this year's event. We are sad that you cannot all return for the finale, but we really hope that every country will join with us online on March 16th."

While these 40 will be moving ahead in the competition, all 97 Miss World contestants in 2021 will be featured in the 70th Miss World final, which will be broadcast live from the Coliseo De Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot.

Meet Debanjali Kamstra, the UAE's first Mrs World:

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PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

The biog

Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito

Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa

Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".

Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".

Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others

Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.

As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.

Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.

“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”

Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.

“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”

Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.

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Updated: February 01, 2022, 8:50 AM`