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.
