Uganda marked a historic milestone on 9 December 2025 as homegrown creatives, artistes, and entertainers took center stage at the Global Harmony Festival during Riyadh Season 2025, held at Al Suwaidi Park—one of the largest themed cultural venues in Saudi Arabia’s capital.
Riyadh Season, organized annually from November to February by the Saudi Ministry of Media and Entertainment, celebrates global culture and tourism, featuring performers from around the world.
In 2025, Al Suwaidi Park is themed “Countries of the World,” with each week dedicated to showcasing a different nation’s art, cuisine, music, and commercial offerings.
This year marks Uganda’s debut at the festival, making it the first sub-Saharan African country to participate. Uganda Days, celebrated on 9–10 December, featured a vibrant cultural showcase with a 25-artist lineup supported by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
The Crane Performers, a Ugandan dance troupe, delivered one of the evening’s standout moments with their energetic kadodi drum procession.
Their rhythmic caravan wound through the 10-hectare park, drawing enthusiastic Saudi revelers who joined in the lively medley of traditional dance.
“Events like these not only promote cultural exchange but also strengthen global ties and open new doors for tourism, investment, and international collaboration,” said Margaret Kafeero, Head of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who accompanied the performers.
Speaking at the Ugandan coffee stall—where visitors sampled freshly brewed Ugandan coffee—the Ambassador of Uganda to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Isaac Biruma Sebulime, highlighted the Embassy's strategy behind participating in the festival.
He noted that blending cultural showcases with retail, food tasting, and diaspora engagement creates both immediate financial benefits and long-term tourism and trade opportunities.
As he watched Indonesian tourists learning to play Omweso, Amb. Sebulime explained that countries that successfully combine culture, cuisine, commerce, and business engagements tend to maximize their visibility and commercial returns.
He also underscored the significance of Saudi Vision 2030, which positions Riyadh Season as a major soft-power and economic diversification platform.
“Uganda’s participation represents East Africa’s entry point into Saudi Arabia’s cultural and entertainment economy,” he said.
“Participating artistes like A-Pass, Vinka, Navio, DJs such as Bryan, and personalities like Sheila Gashumba have export value that resonates even beyond Uganda. We are here showcasing our coffee, safari tourism, music, cuisine, crafts, and investment opportunities 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.”