Ugandan performers light up Global Harmony Festival at Riyadh season 2025
The Riyadh Season is an annual celebration of cultural diversity and tourism organised and hosted by the Ministry of Media and Entertainment of the Government of Saudi Arabia.
According to the MoFA media handout, "the infectious kadodi drumbeats of the Ugandan Dance Troupe, Crane Performers, were the highlight of the evening. (Courtesy photos)
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It was a proud moment for Uganda as homegrown Creatives, Artistes, and Entertainers on December 09, took center stage at the Global Harmony Festival (Riyadh Season) 2025 in the Al Suwaidi Park, one of Saudi Arabia’s Capital.
The Riyadh Season is an annual celebration of cultural diversity and tourism organised and hosted by the Ministry of Media and Entertainment of the Government of Saudi Arabia.
It runs from November to February each year, hosting entertainers from all over the world. During the Riyadh Season 2025, Al-Suwaidi Park is dedicated to “Countries of the World”, with each week spotlighting a different nation’s culture, food, music, and commerce.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 2025 marks Uganda’s debut at Riyadh Season, making it the first sub-Saharan African country to participate. For two days, December 09-10, Uganda displayed its vibrant culture with an exciting 25-artist lineup invited by the Saudi Ministry of Media and Entertainment’s General Entertainment Authority.
According to the MoFA media handout, "the infectious kadodi drumbeats of the Ugandan Dance Troupe, Crane Performers, were the highlight of the evening of December 09, as they formed a caravan dancing around the 10-hectare park, playing a traditional dance medley followed by excited Saudi revellers.
“Events like these not only promote cultural exchange but also strengthen global ties and open new doors for tourism, investment, and international collaboration,” remarked Margaret Kafeero, the Head of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is part of the Kampala entourage in Riyadh.
While visiting the Ugandan Coffee stall, Isaac Biruma Sebulime, Uganda's ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, explained that by participating in Riyadh Season, the Uganda Embassy foresees opportunities combining cultural showcases with commercial retail, food tasting, and diaspora engagement, yielding both direct financial gains and long-term tourism and trade opportunities.
Watching a group of Indonesian visitors trying out omweso at one of the Uganda stands, Sebulime observed that the festival, blended culture, cuisine, commerce, and B2B engagement maximised both visibility and commercial outcomes, adding that Saudi Vision 2030 has positioned Riyadh Season as a flagship soft-power and economic diversification platform.
Uganda’s participation, he added, represents East Africa’s entry point into Saudi Arabia’s cultural and entertainment economy.
Participating Artists included: A-Pass, Vinka, Navio, plus a group of DJs.
"We are here displaying our coffee, safari tourism, music, cuisine, crafts, and investment opportunities alongside them to millions of Saudi residents and international visitors. This directly aligns with Uganda’s NDP IV pillars on Tourism Development, Export Promotion, Agro-Industrialisation, Creative Economy, and Private Sector Growth,” Sebulime remarked.