Saudi-Chinese Common Ground Festival Returns to Riyadh in 2025

To mark 35 years of Saudi-Chinese diplomatic ties, Riyadh is hosting the third edition of the Common Ground festival with art, performance, design, and food taking the lead.

Running from December 24 to January 6 at Malfa Hall in Misk City, Riyadh, the festival spotlights where the two cultures meet, overlap, and riff off one another, from shared motifs in craft to the rituals that shape hospitality.

Inspired by historic exchange routes, the festival will bring together artisans and cultural vendors offering handmade goods, traditional crafts, and keepsakes representing both countries. Guests can also watch live craft demonstrations and sample culinary experiences that pair Saudi coffee and dates with Chinese tea-brewing traditions.

This is part of the greater Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year, which has hosted several major events throughout the year, including the Saudi Arabian Contemporary Art Exhibition in Beijing. Through these events, the Kingdom is looking to spark deeper artistic exchange, build mutual cultural understanding, and position creativity as a shared language linking Saudi Arabia and China.