Foziya Abdullahi Garad was crowned Miss World Somalia 2026 on June 27th, becoming the country’s representative at the 75th Anniversary Edition of the Miss World Festival, which will take place in Vietnam from August 9 to September 5.

The 21-year-old was born in Saudi Arabia and raised in Mogadishu. An aspiring pilot and multilingual communicator, she is fluent in Somali and Arabic and has some knowledge of English.

Inspired by Asli Hassan Abade, Somalia’s and Africa’s first female pilot, Garad hopes to build a career in aviation while encouraging more women to pursue opportunities in traditionally male-dominated fields.

Outside her studies, Garad is an avid reader, citing Somali author Hawaale Warran among her favorite writers.

Her Beauty With A Purpose project, Children Without Borders, supports internally displaced children living in the Yabi Yasir Camp in Mogadishu. The initiative focuses on improving access to education, safety, and essential resources for children affected by climate-related displacement.

Foziya becomes the fourth Somali woman to represent her country at Miss World, and she follows three predecessors who all secured international placements, reaching either the semifinals or quarterfinals of Miss World. She will be aiming to continue that impressive streak when she competes in Vietnam later this year.