The second season of Global Harmony initiative will start showcasing the vibrant and diverse cultural heritage and lifestyle of Bangladesh in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, this afternoon.

The Ministry of Media of the Saudi Arabia government has arranged the programme at Al-Suwaidi Park, in the south of Riyadh to celebrate diversity of the Kingdom's residences.

This event will showcase traditions, art, culture and customs of Bangladesh and highlight various aspects of the lives of Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia.

Different types of artists and influencers from Bangladesh, including renowned singer Asif Akbar and actress Dighi will perform at the programme to celebrate the country’s rich cultural identity.

The visitors can enjoy live performances of the diverse artistes and celebrities with traditional music and dance and a taste of authentic Bangladeshi cuisine while the venue area will turn into a piece of traditional Bangladesh to give the expatriate Bangladeshis a feeling of home.

Last year, the event featured iconic Bangladeshi rock legend Nagar Baul James, DJ Sonica and popular singers Habib Wahid, Porshi, and Beauty Khan — with James’s first-ever performance in Riyadh being a major highlight.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has started arranging this programme from last year aiming to promote harmony between cultures in Saudi Arabia.

This year the Riyadh season 2 started last week with events of Indian cultures. The Riyadh season 2 will continue till 20 December. The cultures of 14 countries and regions are being showcased at the event with a span of 49 days.

Cultures from different countries and regions. These are Africa, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Levant, Palestine, Pakistan, Philippines, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

It will be featured by traditional food, music, folk dances, and handicrafts, along with concerts by international stars with a carnival atmosphere suitable for families and children, and a shopping area.

The Ministry of Media of Saudi Arabia said the government has taken initiative to arrange such programmes in a bid to promote cultural diversification.

The government believes that such events, particularly celebration of social and recreational activities of respective countries will revive the life of the expatriates who are contributing to the Kingdom’s economy.

The Bangladesh cultural events started on 11 November which will continue till 14 November. During this time, different singers and dancers will perform on the stage to bring joys to the lives of the expatriates here.

At the same time, Bangladeshi cultures and traditions also will be showcased at the event.

The events of Egypt will be held from 15 November till November 17),  the Levant from November 18 till November 20), Yemen from November 21 to 28,  Pakistan from November 29 till December 1, Indonesia from December 2 to 4, the Philippines from December 5 to 8), Uganda from December 9 to 10), Ethiopia from December 11 to13), and Sudan from December 14 to 20.

Last year’s event celebrated the cultures of Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, the Philippines, and Bangladesh.

The Ministry of Media said it has paved a new path for human connection within the Kingdom through the "Global Harmony 2" initiative.

It is one of the Quality of Life Program initiatives under the mega plan of Saudi Vision 2030 which is also part of the Kingdom's vision to become a hub  of diversified cultures of the world with harmony, understanding, and mutual respect.