Fact check: The truth behind Saudi Arabia’s alleged Diwali celebration

The reality behind the viral video and the associated claim is that it does not depict Diwali celebrations in Saudi Arabia. The fireworks displayed in this footage were not organized in honor of Diwali, but rather for other official events in Saudi Arabia.

Typically, Saudi Arabia does not permit public celebrations of non-Islamic festivals like Diwali. The fireworks seen in the video actually occurred in November 2023 in Riyadh as part of an event supporting Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030 bid. Some reports also suggest that the video may be from Saudi Arabia’s National Day celebrations.

Thus, the claims circulating on social media that Diwali was celebrated in Saudi Arabia with a fireworks display are unfounded and not based on actual events.