The word Mela means "to meet" in Sanskrit. Melafestivalen is an urban, cross-genre meeting place for the celebration of art and cultural expressions that have come to Norway through immigration, especially from countries in the south. Melafestivalen was organized for the first time in Oslo in 2001, and has since developed into one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

The Mela festival conveys artistic and cultural expressions from all over the world, original productions where Norwegian and foreign artists collaborate are a mainstay of the festival. In addition, the Mela focuses particularly on local artists.

The festival works to raise awareness of cultural diversity, increase immigrants' participation in Norwegian cultural life and encourages cultural institutions to be more inclusive.

The Mela festival is held at Rådhusplassen in Oslo and has free admission. The Mela's artistic director is Khalid Salimi.