UAE | General
UAE holds mass wedding for 340 Emiratis
Some 250 kilometres away from Abu Dhabi into the Western Region, 340 Emirati men and women were married on Friday night in one of the largest mass weddings in the UAE.
- By Marten Youssef, Staff Reporter
- Published: 13:11 July 26, 2008
- Image Credit: Marten Youssef/Gulf News
- Some of the 170 grooms hold the UAE's largest flag in the Western Region.
Liwa: Some 250 kilometres away from Abu Dhabi into the Western Region, 340 Emirati men and women were married on Friday night in one of the largest mass weddings in the UAE. Audio: Marten Youssef reports from the wedding (mp3)
This tradition, started by the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was introduced to encourage Emirati men and women to marry one another. Chairman of the festival, Rakan Al Qubaisi, says the tradition has been enriched since it was introduced.
"The whole purpose of this tradition was the royal families wanted to bear the cost of the weddings, so as to not hamper young men and women from getting married," Al Qubaisi said.
As a traditional wedding can cost Dh350,000, a mass wedding under the patronage of the royal family is an attraction to many young men, women and their families.
The idea of the mass wedding was introduced at the start of the fourth Liwa Date Festival, with just 20 couples expressing interest.
"Word spread quickly throughout the Western Region and today 170 grooms are here to celebrate," Al Qubaisi said.
Related Links
In keeping with tradition brides held a small celebration with their families before leaving for their honeymoon.
For 23-year-old Ahmad Al Monsour, it was an offer he could not refuse.
"I decided about a week ago to get married. My family arranged for me to get married and we thought it was a great idea to celebrate with all of my brothers and people," Al Monsour said.
The mass wedding is costing the festival Dh4 million.
"There is no way my wedding would be this big and elaborate if we were to do it on our own. There are 7,000 people here tonight," Al Monsour said.
This mass wedding was the first of its kind in the Western Region. The largest flag in the Western Region was also flown high above the crowd as a symbol of the nation's unity, organisers said.
Latest news
- Students attend traffic court hearings
- New road widens Jumeirah Lakes Towers access
- Filipino students, groups attend cultural meet
- For this maestro, it's all about the sound
- Experts can't tell old instruments from new
- Sound of violins
- Facilitators: Helping others find joy
- Volunteers remove garbage from Mamzar beach
- Clean-up campaign set to raise awareness
- Sharjah landmarks bathed in light
- Shaikh Mohammad meets South Korea leader
- Get friends on board, zip away with Salik bonus
- Top Arab advocacy group in dire need of aid
- New rules for Abu Dhabi buildings
- In the pursuit of happiness
Community Reports
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
-
Safety regulations flouted at Dubai work place
In Al Nahda 2, two workers were seen working on the crane boom at a height of 20m without a full body harness or safety net in violation of rules
