Moate native represents Ireland in Miss Middle East pageant

Moate native Noor Judge Alsalihi is representing Ireland in the Miss Middle East pageant in Dubai this weekend.

The prestigious event takes place on August 16 and 17 at the Rixos Bab Al Bahr UAE.

The young woman was first invited to attend an interview for the pageant on April 28, and received a message the following day to say she was invited to participate in the event.

She said she is “very proud” to have represented Ireland this year. Noor Judge said: “I had a lot of interest in [pageants] after competing in Miss Midlands, an event hosted by Karma nightclub in 2018.

“It gave me the confidence to pursue more opportunities within the modelling industry, and being a mixed race young woman with Arab ethnicity, I felt the Miss Middle East Pageant was perfect for me to represent not just my home country but my unique mix.”

Noor Judge has been living in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for the past ten months, and she said living there has opened up a world of opportunity.

“Living and working in Dubai for almost ten months has opened a door for many big events and opportunities for me. [I met] fashion icon Elie Saab and other celebrities at a gala dinner event I was invited to in Emirates Palace Hotel Abudhabi a few months ago,” she said.

Noor Judge is a luxury real estate agent, and had ten years of experience in the modelling industry, pageants and competitions before gracing the stage at the Miss Middle East pageant.

The pageant featured 31 representatives from countries across the globe, including those from Europe, the UK, the US, Africa, and Asia.