Saudis say ‘thank you’ to expatriates with India Week

For decades, they were considered itinerants of the oil-fuelled boom, people who came to make a living – often under restrictive conditions – and returned after accumulating their tax-free riyals. That perception has slowly peeled away over time in Saudi Arabia, and there is growing recognition that expatriates undergirded much of the kingdom’s growth story. 

The ‘Global Harmony’ initiative was conceived by the Ministry of Media, Saudi Arabia, as a ‘thank you’ to the expatriate community, which comprises around 44.4% of the kingdom’s population of 32.2 million. At 2.7 million, Indians are one of the largest communities, servicing everything from high-end health care to housekeeping. 

Sarry Shaaban, content and planning development executive of the General Entertainment Authority, Saudi Arabia
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

In a sign of the recognition accorded to the contribution of Indians in the kingdom, this year’s Riyadh season opened on November 2 with ‘India Week’, as did the inaugural edition last year. As the week reached its finale on Monday with performances at the Suwaidi Park, Sarry Shaaban, content and planning development executive of the General Entertainment Authority, Saudi Arabia, said the audiences were up 60% from last year’s numbers. 

This year’s line-up included artistes such as Kanika Kapoor, Jaan Kumar and DJ Shreya, and a daily parade by Indian dance troupes. Traditional food and handicraft shops added to the experience as crowds thronged the park every day from 4 p.m. until midnight. India Week over, the Riyadh season will continue until December 20 with a week each dedicated to 14 of the more prominent communities. 

Scenes from ‘India Week’, held from November 2-10 at the Suwaidi Park in Riyadh as part of the ‘Global Harmony’ initiative of the Ministry of Media, Saudi Arabia
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The festival has also come as a great opportunity for the locals to connect with the expatriates. As Mr. Shaaban said, “It’s about connection. It’s not about colour, skin or beliefs. It’s part of Vision 2030, of the quality-of-life programme aimed at improving residents’ well-being by developing aspects like culture, entertainment, sports, and tourism. We want to give back to the communities for whom Saudi Arabia is a second home.”

Over 3,500 Saudis have been involved in organising the Global Harmony programmes, and thousands more turned up with their families and children to sample the best of Indian music, food and culture at the second largest park in Riyadh. 

Scenes from ‘India Week’, held from November 2-10 at the Suwaidi Park in Riyadh as part of the ‘Global Harmony’ initiative of the Ministry of Media, Saudi Arabia
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who visited Suwaidi Park on the penultimate day of India Week, said the event was both praiseworthy and worthy of emulation. “It is connecting Indians here with their roots with wholesome family entertainment.”

Going by the roaring response it received from both locals and expatriates, the festival is likely to become a permanent fixture of Riyadh’s emerging cultural map. 

(The author is in Riyadh at the invitation of the Ministry of Media of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to attend ‘India Week’, a part of its ‘Global Harmony’ initiative.)