Saudi YouTubers invite you to the world's biggest online iftar

The event aims to spread joy and a sense of connection among regional youths

Saudi YouTube content creators are teaming up to try and host the world's largest virtual iftar. YouTube

A group of Saudi Arabia's biggest online content creators are coming together in an attempt to hold the world's largest virtual iftar.

In collaboration with YouTube, the one-hour event will take place on Tuesday, May 19, from 6pm KSA time (7pm GST).

The people involved are a who’s who of the kingdom’s content creation landscape. The list is led by family vlogger Mohamed Moshaya, fashionista Noor Stars, comedy duo and twins The Saudi Reporters and lifestyle vloggers Anasala Family, Asrar Aref and Omar Hussein.

All will call upon their massive regional YouTube subscribers (a combined number of nearly 45 million) to take part in the event.

With the iftar live streamed from Moshaya's YouTube page, the Saudi vlogger hopes the event can restore the sense of connection missing from this year's Ramadan due the to social-distancing measures in place to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

“Ramadan is usually a time where friends and family gather in mosques and homes to break the fast and pray together,” he said in a statement.

“However with this global pandemic, Ramadan this year feels very different, which is why I decided to enlist a couple of my friends in the YouTube community to come together and turn this moment of isolation into celebration.”

Both Abdullah and Abdulaziz Bakr, who make up The Saudi Reporters, said online creators have a role to play in cheering up society in these difficult times.

“We are very excited about being part of an attempt to break the world record for the largest virtual iftar,” the brothers said in a joint statement.

“As The Saudi Reporters we always love to make history and reach impossible goals, so we are very excited and honoured to be a part of this experience.

“And as content creators and YouTubers we love entertaining people, and especially in these difficult times we feel it's our duty to do whatever we can to help people get through this pandemic even with something as small as drawing a smile on people’s faces.”

The news of the event comes after Saudi Arabia introduced full-day lockdowns and curfews across the country to contain the coronavirus during this year's Eid holidays, from Saturday, May 23, until Wednesday, May 27. The decision by the kingdom's Interior Ministry  was taken after a sharp rise in infections.