Filipina beauty queen Gazini Ganados turned emotional during the closed-door interview segment of Miss Grand International (MGI) All Stars 2026 after being asked about her Palestinian heritage by judge Omar Harfouch.
Harfouch, a world-renowned French-Lebanese pianist, composer, and businessman, asked Ganados: “You are a Filipina and a Palestinian. What does being Palestinian mean to you?”
Fighting back tears, Ganados shared a deeply personal response about identity, family, and resilience.
“Actually, I'm wearing a piece of Palestine, and carrying that is such a form of strength, courage, and resilience,” she said. “They were merely born in the wrong place and at the wrong time, and they didn't deserve all the adversity that is happening to them.”
The former beauty queen also revealed the emotional struggles of reconnecting with her Palestinian family after finally meeting her father following her Miss Universe 2019 journey.
“All my life, I wanted to have siblings, and now that I finally found them, they can't even send me letters. I can't send them gifts; I can't hug them, comfort them, or save them,” Ganados said.
She added that the pageant platform gave her the opportunity to proudly embrace her roots before the world.
“This is a platform where I can show the world that I'm so proud to be Palestinian, and I am willing to carry their flag across my heart,” she said. “I am meant to shine like a star because I was born a Palestinian.”
Following the interview, Ganados admitted that the emotionally charged moment overwhelmed her, eventually causing her to break down in tears backstage.
“The thing that made me burst out or open my feelings is that they asked me if I was willing to represent Palestine. And I said, I'm willing to offer my life with all my heart and soul,” she shared.
Ganados said she was grateful to fully express her “authenticity” and “identity” during the competition, adding that her roommate, Fuchsia Anne Ravena, comforted her after the interview.
“I was excited, I was nervous, I was happy, and I was just ready to tell my story,” she said.
Ganados is one of the five Philippine representatives competing in Miss Grand All Stars 2026 alongside Fuchsia Anne Ravena, Keylyn Trajano, Imelda Schweighart, and Alexia Nuñez.
The pageant’s grand coronation night is set for May 30 at the MGI Hall in Bangkok.
