Ugandan Performers Shine at Global Harmony Festival in Riyadh

Riyadh — Uganda registered a historic milestone on December 9, 2025, as homegrown creatives, artistes, and entertainers electrified audiences at the Global Harmony Festival during Riyadh Season 2025.

The performances took place at Al Suwaidi Park—one of Riyadh’s largest themed cultural venues—marking Uganda’s first-ever participation in the global event.

Riyadh Season, an annual celebration of cultural diversity and tourism organised by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media and Entertainment, runs from November to February, featuring performers from across the world. For the 2025 edition, Al Suwaidi Park is themed “Countries of the World,” with each week dedicated to showcasing a different nation’s culture, cuisine, music, and commerce.

This year not only marks Uganda’s debut but also the first time a sub-Saharan African country has ever participated. Uganda Days—held from December 9 to 10—featured a vibrant cultural showcase backed by the Saudi Ministry of Media and Entertainment’s General Entertainment Authority. The country presented an impressive 25-artist lineup.

The evening of December 9 was dominated by the pulsating kadodi rhythms of the Crane Performers, whose dance caravan wound through the 10-hectare park, drawing excited Saudi spectators into a lively medley of traditional Ugandan dances.

Margaret Kafeero, Head of Public Diplomacy at Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who accompanied the delegation, noted: “Events like these not only promote cultural exchange but also strengthen global ties and open new doors for tourism, investment, and international collaboration.”

At the Ugandan Coffee stall—where visitors sampled premium Ugandan brews—Uganda’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Isaac Biruma Sebulime, emphasised that the Embassy’s strategy for Riyadh Season combines cultural exhibition with commercial opportunities.

He explained that by integrating cultural showcases with retail, food tasting, and diaspora engagement, Uganda aims to generate immediate financial benefits while also cultivating long-term tourism and trade prospects.

Observing a group of Indonesian visitors trying out Omweso, Amb. Sebulime remarked that previous successful country showcases often blended culture, cuisine, commerce, and B2B interactions—an approach Uganda has adopted to maximise visibility and economic outcomes.

He further highlighted that Saudi Vision 2030 positions Riyadh Season as a flagship platform for soft power, cultural diplomacy, and economic diversification.

“Uganda’s participation represents East Africa’s entry point into Saudi Arabia’s cultural and entertainment economy,” said Sebulime.

“Artistes like A-Pass, Vinka, Navio, DJs such as Bryan, and personalities like Sheila Gashumba have export value recognised beyond Uganda. By showcasing our coffee, safari tourism, music, cuisine, crafts, and investment opportunities alongside them, we are reaching millions of Saudi residents and international visitors. This aligns directly with the pillars of Uganda’s NDP IV—Tourism Development, Export Promotion, Agro-Industrialisation, the Creative Economy, and Private Sector Growth.”