Saudi Arabia is sending a large cultural delegation to Ottawa later this month in what critics say is an attempt to rehabilitate the Kingdom's image in light of a controversial weapons deal with Canada. About 100 dancers, singers and other performers will descend on the Canadian capital from 18-21 May for a four-day series of events meant to highlight the cultural traditions of Saudi Arabia.
The timing has raised questions among human rights advocates who note that the Saudi Cultural Days event has not been held in Canada since 1991 — 35 years ago — and arrives amid mounting Canadian opposition to Saudi Arabia's human rights record and a $15bn arms deal that has put Ottawa on the defensive.
Arms Deal Under Fire
The arms deal brokered between Canada and Saudi Arabia has drawn intense scrutiny after it was revealed that Canada's foreign affairs minister personally signed off on export permits for light-armoured vehicles to be shipped to Riyadh. Ottawa has said it could not renege on the deal, which was brokered under the previous Conservative government, without hurting its reputation. It also said that if Canada does not sell Saudi Arabia the weapons, another country with less stringent safeguards will.
Cesar Jaramillo, head of anti-war group Project Ploughshares, said, "While there is nothing inherently wrong with efforts aimed at fostering intercultural understanding, the timing of this particular initiative is highly suspect." He also said, "There's has been no Saudi cultural delegation in Canada for over a quarter century, and this one happens to visit in the midst of Canada's highly controversial multi-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia."
Cultural Diplomacy or Image Management?
The Saudi Cultural Days event is held annually in different countries around the world. It was held earlier this year in Indonesia, and in 2012 — 14 years ago — the event was hosted at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where that edition included a photo exhibition, a fashion show featuring traditional Saudi dress, folk dancing, and a reception with culinary dishes from the Kingdom.
Shaza Fahim, an official at the Saudi embassy in Ottawa, told The Hill Times that the cultural event is meant to "highlight the friendship between Saudi Arabia and Canada". Saudi Cultural Days are planned three years in advance, a statement emailed to the newspaper stated, and the events in Ottawa have "nothing to do with the sale of armoured vehicles," it said.
The Saudi embassy in Ottawa did not return repeated requests for comment. In March — 3 months ago — the Saudi embassy decried Canadian media coverage of the weapons deal as "sensationalised and politicised" and said it did not accept outside interference into its internal affairs.
Human Rights Concerns Persist
The case of jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, whose wife and three children have sought refuge in Quebec, has also raised questions about what Canada is doing to pressure Saudi Arabia on its human rights record.
In late April — 2 months ago — a 70-person Canadian delegation, including representatives from the health, education, agriculture, defence and mining and manufacturing industries, travelled to Saudi Arabia on a trade mission. Ed Holder, a former Conservative MP who led the group, said, "If you want to be in [a] position to have a positive impact on any country . . . the best way to do that is through trade," and, "It's not going to be my place to tell the Saudis how to run their country."
Jaramillo said, "It takes little cynicism to see this as a blatant attempt to soften Canadian views on Saudi Arabia in the context of the arms deal," and, "However, the Saudi human rights record is so abysmal that it cannot be whitewashed with dancers and cuisine."
Why This Matters:
The arrival of Saudi Arabia's first cultural delegation to Canada in 35 years highlights the tension between economic interests and human rights principles in Canadian foreign policy. While cultural exchange can foster understanding, the timing — amid a $15bn arms deal and growing domestic opposition to Saudi Arabia's human rights record — raises questions about whether such initiatives serve diplomatic goals or function as image rehabilitation for a government facing international criticism. The case of Raif Badawi, whose family has found refuge in Canada while he remains imprisoned, underscores the gap between Ottawa's stated values and its commercial relationships. As Canada navigates its role as both arms supplier and advocate for human rights, the cultural event becomes a focal point for broader debates about accountability, consistency, and the limits of engagement with authoritarian governments.