An old video clip circulating on social media claims to show Diwali celebrations in Saudi Arabia in 2024, with fireworks lighting up the sky behind high-rise buildings, watched by men and burqa-clad women. However, ESN Fact Check has confirmed that the video is not from Diwali celebrations this year.
Claim
As Diwali filled social media with dazzling fireworks videos, one particular clip stirred interest by suggesting Saudi Arabia had joined in on the festivities. An X user shared it, saying, "Diwali celebration in Saudi Arabia. The Arab world is moving towards light from darkness." A similar Facebook post claimed, "Saudi Arabia witnesses Diwali celebrations, while India’s liberal governments restrict our traditions."
Investigation
A reverse search of keyframes from the video traced it back to a Facebook page, Pak Qatar Community, which posted the clip on September 23, marking "Saudi Arabia’s 94th National Day." This date predates Diwali, celebrated on October 31 and November 1 in 2024, confirming the video is unrelated to Diwali. Additional posts on Instagram and YouTube also attributed the clip to National Day celebrations in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia’s National Day: Saudi Arabia celebrates National Day on September 23 to commemorate its unification as a kingdom in 1932 under King Abdulaziz Al Saud, a key event in forming a unified national identity. The day is a national holiday, celebrated with fireworks and other festivities. Interestingly, the same video also appeared on an Instagram account on August 27 with a caption referencing Dubai, which further ruled out the possibility of it being from Saudi Arabia’s 2024 National Day.
We looked into whether any major fireworks displays were held in Saudi Arabia in early 2024. Our search revealed a similar celebration in Riyadh on November 29, 2023, following Saudi Arabia's successful bid to host Expo 2030. Using Arabic keywords, we found footage from the Royal Commission’s YouTube channel showing a green-lit building matching the one in the viral video around the three-minute mark, indicating the clip likely dates back to November 2023.
While we can’t confirm the precise date, it's evident that this video does not show Diwali celebrations in Saudi Arabia in 2024.
