It was a proud moment for Uganda as homegrown Creatives, Artistes, and Entertainers took centre stage at the Global Harmony Festival (Riyadh Season) 2025 in the Al Suwaidi Park, one of Saudi Arabia’s Capital, Riyadh’s largest themed cultural venues, on 9th December 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. 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.
2025 marks Uganda’s debut at Riyadh Season, also the first time for a sub-Saharan African country to participate. December 9th-10th, 2025, are Uganda Days. This year, Uganda displayed its vibrant culture with an exciting 25-artist lineup, made possible through the support of the Saudi Ministry of Media and Entertainment’s General Entertainment Authority.
The infectious “kadodi” drumbeats of the Ugandan Dance Troupe, Crane Performers, were the highlight of the evening of December 9th as they formed a caravan dancing around the 10-hectare park, playing a traditional dance medley followed by excited Saudi revellers.
Margaret Kafeero, Head of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who accompanied the performers, said, “Events like these not only promote cultural exchange but also strengthen global ties and open new doors for tourism, investment, and international collaboration”.
Speaking at the Ugandan Coffee stall, where Ugandan coffee was being served, Ambassador of Uganda to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Isaac Biruma Sebulime, explained that in participating in Riyadh Season, the Uganda Embassy strategically foresees 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 the stand, Amb. Sebulime observed that in studying past participation by other countries, the Embassy had noted that those that 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 represents East Africa’s entry point into Saudi Arabia’s cultural and entertainment economy,” said Sebulime. “Participating Artistes like A-Pass, Vinka, Navio, Djs like Bryan, and personalities like Sheila Gashumba have export value that is recognised even outside Uganda. 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,” he said.
