Ugandan performers, creatives, and entertainers took part in the Global Harmony Festival during Riyadh Season 2025 at Al Suwaidi Park in Riyadh on 9 December 2025.
Riyadh Season is an annual cultural and tourism event organised by the Ministry of Media and Entertainment of the Government of Saudi Arabia. It runs from November to February and brings together entertainers from across the world. During the 2025 edition, Al Suwaidi Park is hosting “Countries of the World,” with each week dedicated to a different country’s culture, food, music, and commerce.
Uganda is participating at Riyadh Season for the first time and is the first sub-Saharan African country to be featured at the global event. Uganda Days are taking place on 9 and 10 December, with a 25-artist lineup supported by the Saudi Ministry of Media and Entertainment’s General Entertainment Authority.
The Crane Performers drew large crowds with their kadodi drum procession as they danced through sections of the park. Margaret Kafeero, Head of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said:
“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 Ethiopian and Indonesian visitors were seen sampling Uganda’s coffee and trying out Omweso, the Ambassador of Uganda to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Isaac Biruma Sebulime, said Uganda’s participation is part of a wider cultural and commercial strategy.
He said:
“Uganda’s participation represents East Africa’s entry point into Saudi Arabia’s cultural and entertainment economy. Participating Artistes like A-Pass, Vinka, Navio, Djs like Bryan, and personalities like Sheila Gashumba have export value that is recognized 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.”
