Unique mass wedding ceremony

Al Ain: Around 400 Emiratis, all government employees, will tie the knot at a mass wedding ceremony being held later this week.

The ceremony will be held on June 6 in Celebrations Hall in Al Khabeysi district.

Mass weddings are gainning popularity in the UAE over the years but this ceremony will be unique as only Emiratis working in government departments of Al Ain will get married.

"This is the first of its kind wedding ceremony," said the organisers.

The ceremony will be organised by Al Ain Municipality with the support of Marriage Fund and a number of private sector sponsors.

Noora Al Suwaidi, project manager and director of the Personnel Service Centre at Al Ain Municipality, said the number of the aspirants has grown gradually reaching to 390.

"It is a sustainable initiative for the collective benefits of the citizens," she said while referring to the ceremony.

Training

She said a number of private and public organisations have come forward to support the initiative and also to impart training and necessary guidelines to the Emiratis getting married in the mass wedding. Mohammad Mubarak Al Khaili, chairman of the First Collective Marriage of the Government Employees and Executive Director of the municipality's Town Centre Services, said mass wedding have played an important role.

"It relieves young Emiratis from costs of individual marriages and help them plan their lives better," he said at a press conference. The initiative has received a high response from the youngsters, he added.

Al Khaili also announced that special arrangements have been made for the wedding reception. More than 4,000 guests from different walks of life will attend the gala dinner.