Food, Fun & Art Festival Unites Cultures in Jeddah
Entertainment Has No Boundaries: Bringing People of Many Nationalities Together in the Spirit of Saudi Vision 2030
By Dr. Sameera Aziz
The two-day Food,
Fun & Art Festival – Jeddah was successfully held on 27 and 28 August
2026 under the leadership of Dr. Sameera Aziz, with the facilitation of Hamid
Al-Johani, General Manager of Summer Fun.
Held in Al Samir District, east of Al-Haramain Road in
Jeddah, the family festival welcomed visitors of all nationalities. A large
gathering of women, men and children enjoyed Pakistani and Saudi cuisine, arts
and crafts, shopping, live music, children’s entertainment, water-based
attractions and other recreational activities under the theme “Summer Fun.”
The festival aimed to advance Saudi–Asian cultural exchange; encourage women, artisans, culinary participants and emerging creative talent; and provide them with a platform to present their skills and creations—including food, clothing, accessories, art and handicrafts. The initiative also sought to bring Saudi and Pakistani communities, along with people of many other nationalities, together through family entertainment, hospitality, creativity and shared cultural experiences.
Renowned culinary personalities Chef Thomas A. Gugler, former President of Worldchefs and Vice President of Culinary at Saudi Airlines Catering Company, and Chef Yasser Jad, Executive Adviser for Culinary Arts Strategy and Hospitality and President and Founder of SARCA, attended the event as guest judges. Chef Yasser Jad also led the high-profile Expo 2030 candidacy gala dinner in Paris and continues to advance the Saudi culinary presence in international competitions.
Leadership and Organisation
Saudi media professional and businesswoman Dr. Sameera
Aziz was the driving force behind the festival. She developed the
initiative as a platform through which women, artists, chefs, performers,
artisans and emerging creative talent could demonstrate their abilities,
develop confidence and connect with a diverse audience.
Speaking about her vision for the event, Dr. Sameera Aziz
said:
“We organised this festival during the summer season to
engage women, develop their skills and create opportunities for them to present
their talent and work. Their enthusiasm was extraordinary, and the atmosphere
felt like Eid. My principal goal is to spread love and peace.”
She further said:
“Entertainment has no boundaries. In the spirit of Saudi
Vision 2030, which encourages openness, quality of life and engagement with
people from around the world, I continue to create initiatives that promote
cultural exchange, creative participation and stronger connections among
communities in Saudi Arabia.”
Dr. Sameera Aziz explained that her initiatives are designed
to engage Saudi society alongside Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Filipino,
European, American and other expatriate communities, both within and outside
Saudi Arabia.
As the Chief Guest of the event and General Manager of
Summer Fun, Hamid Al-Johani played an important role in the overall
facilitation of the festival. Commenting on the festival, Hamid Al-Johani said:
“We created a beautiful bazaar that brought Pakistan and
Saudi Arabia together, with excellent activities for families. Its distinctive
quality was seeing Saudis and Pakistanis participating side by side.”
Actor, film and television director and TV presenter Sultan
Abdulrahman served as event manager and host. He presented the children’s
programme and supported the coordination of the festival’s cultural, family and
entertainment activities.
Festival Activities
The festival offered a wide range of activities for families
and visitors of different age groups. These included shopping stalls and a
community bazaar, cafΓ©s and food outlets, a recipe and cooking competition,
painting, live workshops and arts-and-crafts activities, live musical
performances, children’s shows and games, water-based attractions and other
recreational activities.
Culinary Competition Celebrates Pakistani Flavours
The culinary programme was supervised by Chef Afshan
Mansoor, a TV personality, all-rounder chef, culinary mentor and food
auditor at Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital. She led the cooking competition for
women and food enthusiasts based in Jeddah.
Participants presented traditional dishes, distinctive
recipes and personal cooking techniques. The competition highlighted the
diversity of Pakistani cuisine and demonstrated the culinary abilities of
Pakistani women living in Saudi Arabia.
Chef Thomas A. Gugler and Chef Yasser Jad evaluated the
dishes as guest judges and encouraged the participants through their
professional feedback and appreciation.
The cooking competition results were:
- First
Prize: Sobia Abid
- Second
Prize: Aisha Sattar
- Third
Prize: Noreen Khurram
Other women who participated in the competition included Shaista
Tabrez, Raheela Saif and Erum Yousaf.
Chef Thomas A. Gugler said:
“Thank you very much to everyone who participated in this
highly engaging cooking competition. What made it particularly special was the
creative crossover between Pakistani cuisine and influences from different
parts of the world. The competition was exceptionally close, and every dish
demonstrated its own strengths, along with areas for improvement in taste,
presentation and overall execution.
“We sincerely appreciated the passion, creativity and effort
shown by every participant. Although every competition must have first-,
second- and third-place winners, all the other participants remain our valued
runners-up. My heartfelt thanks also go to everyone involved, both front of
house and behind the scenes, and to Dr. Sameera Aziz for providing this
opportunity. Cultural festivals such as this are extremely important because
they bring people together.”
Chef Yasser Jad said:
“Seeing homemakers participate in an event like this brings
tremendous value. We sincerely appreciate their contribution, effort and
passion throughout the competition.
“We would also be pleased to provide every participant with
honest and heartfelt feedback so that they can continue developing their
skills. Next time, the sky is the limit. We can introduce new ideas, experiment
with different flavours and achieve even more. That is the beauty of the
kitchen—we all continue learning from one another.”
Chef Afshan Mansoor said:
“Our effort was never limited to displaying food. It was
created to highlight Pakistan’s cultural heritage and beautiful traditions. The
passion and skill shown by the women here were deeply commendable. I want
Pakistan’s name to continue reaching new heights and our traditional flavours
to become known around the world.”
The cooking competition received considerable appreciation
from guests and participants, who described it as an effective means of
promoting Pakistani cuisine, strengthening cultural relations and providing
talented women with a credible platform on which to demonstrate their
abilities.
Community Bazaar and Women’s Participation
Dr. Rakshanda Puri, a gynecologist and community
welfare advocate, coordinated the community bazaar and helped women
participants present their clothing, jewellery, food, handicrafts and other
creative products. The bazaar gave talented women an opportunity to introduce
their creations and
receive wider appreciation for their skills.
Dr. Rakshanda Puri said:
“For many years, I have worked to promote Pakistan’s
culture, traditions, heritage and identity in Saudi Arabia while creating
platforms for talented women to showcase their skills and products. Cultural
events bring people closer together, foster mutual understanding and build
lasting friendships.”
She added:
“I am sincerely grateful to Dr. Sameera Aziz for honouring
me with such a meaningful award. InshaAllah, we will continue working together
for Pakistan, Pakistani women and our community in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan
Zindabad, and long live the beautiful friendship between Pakistan and Saudi
Arabia.”
Hospitality and Community Support
Kababish Pink Club, represented by its lead, Umm
Abdur Rahman, provided hospitality support throughout the festival. The club also highlighted its
continuing commitment to women’s empowerment, art, literature and community
development through the Kababish Arts Council at Kababish Restaurant in Jeddah.
Umm Abdur Rahman said:
“It was an absolute honour for Kababish Pink Club to
contribute to this wonderful event organised by Dr. Sameera Aziz. The event
celebrated Pakistan’s rich cuisine, vibrant music, captivating art and diverse
cultural traditions while giving our community a voice.”
She also expressed appreciation for the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia and its people for warmly welcoming Pakistani culture.
“It was a beautiful exchange between two great
cultures—Pakistan and Saudi Arabia—united by hospitality, respect, friendship
and shared values. Kababish Pink Club remains committed to supporting the
participation, empowerment and growth of Pakistani women in Jeddah,” she added.
Arts and Crafts
Resin and multidisciplinary artist Erum Roomi
showcased her creative work at the festival. She said:
“Art has been my passion for many years. My work includes
resin art, furniture painting, texture art, stencil work and several other
creative forms. I am grateful to Dr. Sameera Aziz for providing me with this
platform, and I look forward to participating in similar initiatives in the
future.”
Children’s Programme and Event Supervision
Sultan Abdulrahman hosted the children’s programme
and supported the coordination of the festival’s cultural, entertainment and
family activities.
He said:
“The Summer Fun festival is wonderful. Seeing Pakistani
food, clothing, accessories and paintings together was a source of pride.
Holding events such as this is also an expression of respect for every
community and its culture.”
π΄ YouTube Behind The Scenes - Summer Fun
Live Music and Entertainment
The festival’s musical programme featured a diverse line-up
of talented singers and musicians over the two days. The performers included Adnan
Chauhan, Ali Mehdi, Awais Khan, Awais Talib Hussain, Ashar Mubeen, Meer Sariyo
and Abrar Abbasi.
Singer Ali Mehdi said:
“I am deeply grateful to Dr. Sameera Aziz and the entire
Pak–Saudi Summer Fun team for presenting such a beautiful event with remarkable
hard work, sincerity and dedication. What impressed me most was Dr. Sameera
Aziz’s attentiveness and commitment. She responded to everyone while managing
her numerous responsibilities with grace.
“I was also inspired by her thoughtful, poetic style of
communication and her careful choice of words. My best wishes and full support
are with Dr. Sameera Aziz and the entire team in their future initiatives.
Everyone performed wonderfully, and I pray that Allah Almighty allows this
meaningful journey to continue and grants success to all their future
endeavours.”
Singer Adnan Chauhan said:
“Although I have performed at concerts for many years, this
was a truly unique event where Saudi, Arab and Pakistani families enjoyed the
programme together. Dr. Sameera Aziz guided everyone with remarkable dedication
and created valuable opportunities for women to demonstrate their talents. She
was the driving force behind the event’s success, even in the intense summer
heat. I will always stand in the front line to support her future initiatives.
True to its name, the festival genuinely became ‘Summer Fun.’”
Awais Khan, leader of the Riwayaat band, said:
“This was a valuable platform that allowed us to introduce
Urdu music to a Saudi audience and share its emotion and beauty in a welcoming
family setting.”
Awards and
Dr. Sameera Aziz presented awards recognising outstanding
contributions to art, culinary leadership, community welfare, women’s
empowerment, music, media and event management. Hamid Al-Johani, Chef Thomas
Guglar and Chef Yasser Jad also participated in distributing prizes and
commemorative shields.
The following awards were presented:
- Emerging
Multidisciplinary Artist Award
Presented to Erum Roomi, Resin & Multidisciplinary Artist, in recognition of her creativity, artistic excellence and contribution to multidisciplinary art. - Community
Welfare Excellence Award
Presented to Dr. Rakshanda Puri, Gynecologist & Community Welfare Advocate, in recognition of her dedicated service to community welfare. - Culinary
Excellence and Mentorship Award
Presented to Chef Afshan Mansoor, TV Personality, Culinary Expert, Mentor & Food Auditor, in recognition of her culinary excellence, mentorship and promotion of the culinary arts. - Community
Dedication and Service Award
Presented to Kababish Pink Club, represented by Umm Abdur Rahman, in recognition of its work in promoting art and literature, empowering women and supporting community development. - Media
and Events Excellence Award
Presented to Mr. Sultan Abdulrahman, Actor, Film & Television Director, and TV Presenter, in recognition of his valuable contributions to media, acting and the events industry. - Musical
Excellence and Dedication Award
Presented to Mr. Adnan Chauhan, Singer, Host & Multitalented Performer, in recognition of his musical talent, passion, dedication and commitment to excellence. - Excellence
in Media Coverage Award
Presented to Mr. Mohammed Ashraf, Visual Media Specialist, in recognition of his outstanding media coverage, creativity and professionalism in photography and videography, as well as his continued support for women’s empowerment.
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