Unexpected Now First-ever ‘Saudi India Festival’ On January 19
The festival will feature a documentary screening, an opening session, and folk cultural performances by Saudi and Indian artists. The chief guest will be the Indian Consul General, Mohammed Shahid Alam.
Distinguished dignitaries expected to attend the inaugural session include renowned Saudi poet Abdullah Obaian and Dr. Ismail Maimani, director of Madrasah As-Sawlatiyah, Makkah.
The event, titled “5K Camaraderie,” will include an enthralling Arab-Indian cultural showcase. A Saudi folk arts team that has performed at the Dubai Expo for over six months is expected to captivate the audience with their mesmerizing performances. Around 150 Indian boys and girls will also perform in over a dozen traditional and folk performances.
The festival, which will be held at the International Indian School in Jeddah’s Al-Rehab District, is expected to attract over 2,000 people, including prominent Saudis of Indian origin, Saudi and Indian media personalities, cultural figures, academics, writers, and business leaders.
The screening of a historic documentary will be one of the festival’s main attractions. It will delve into Arab-Indian roots and routes that date back 5,000 years. This narrative will follow the ancient Spice Route, Silk Road, and Incense Route, culminating in the relationship being elevated to a strategic partnership on the world’s second-largest migration corridor, which includes India and the GCC countries.
Consul General Alam emphasized the festival’s importance in strengthening the historical, cultural, and strategic ties between India and Saudi Arabia. He also asked for the Indian community’s full support to ensure the event’s success.
Details about the event were revealed during a press conference hosted by Goodwill Global Initiative President Hassan Cheruppa, General Secretary Ishaque Poondoli, and Vice Patron Asim Zeeshan. The organizers stated that the event will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 10:30 p.m., with free admission.
The festival will investigate and present glimpses of historical, cultural, religious, and economic ties, as well as civilizational interactions and exchanges, between India and Arabia. The chosen theme, “camaraderie,” represents the mutual trust and intimate friendship that have existed between Arabs and Indians for five millennia.
The festival will also include B2B exhibitions showcasing Indian products and companies, thereby promoting Indo-Arab trade. Organizers anticipate a large crowd of approximately 5,000 attendees for this exhibition, which will further enhance the cultural and economic exchange between the two great nations.
