Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Under the supervision of the Department of Community Development (DCD), the Al Derei tribe has hosted a group wedding for 22 UAE nationals adhering to the Medeem Model for Women’s Weddings, one of the core pillars of the Medeem initiative.
Designed to support couples, the group wedding aimed to embody authentic Emirati heritage and values and reflect the Al Derei tribe’s deep-rooted commitment to the vision of the UAE leadership, while enhancing social cohesion.
Hosted at the Al Quaa Wedding Hall in Al Ain, the celebration invited families and loved ones to gather and honour the unions of their children with a men’s wedding ceremony held prior to the women’s wedding celebration.
Dr. Mona Al Mansoori, Executive Director of the Medeem Initiative at DCD, said: "We congratulate the Al Derei tribe on this blessed occasion, and thank them for their commitment to embodying the values of the Medeem Model for Women’s Weddings, and their dedication to creating marriages built on strong foundations.”
She added, “The women’s ceremony was held within the designated time frame of three hours, and the refreshments took the form of simple and traditional Emirati snacks and beverages. It was a beautiful occasion filled with Emirati traditions and heritage.”
Dr. Al Mansoori emphasised that since its launch, the Medeem initiative has been pivotal in raising awareness among young Emiratis and their families about the importance of preparing for married life, beginning marriages on a stable note, and supporting the UAE leadership's belief that families are the cornerstone of a harmonious and thriving society.
Dr. Hilal Saeed Al Derei, a key organiser of the group wedding, extended his gratitude to DCD for spearheading the Medeem initiative.
Dr. Al Derei said: "We commend the Department of Community Development for creating such an important initiative that encourages Emiratis to embrace marriage as a key step towards building happy and stable families. I want to urge every resident of Abu Dhabi to explore the benefits and services offered by the programme and support our wise leadership’s ambition to facilitate marriages between youth. I also want to congratulate all the Al Derei couples who celebrated their marriages and thank all the families who joined us in marking this happy and beautiful occasion.”
He added that the 20 mass weddings organised in the Al Quaa area so far have resulted in total savings of Dh314 million, including approximately Dh117.9 million saved directly by young participants and Dh196 million indirectly saved by the community through reduced costs of women’s wedding preparations.
He emphasised that the organisation of these events fosters participation and embodies the values of unity and social solidarity, noting that group weddings have evolved into significant social occasions that strengthen community ties and enjoy strong support from the nation’s wise leadership.
The couples who participated in the mass wedding also benefited from the Medeem Center for Family Nurturing’s Premarital Programme, a course that is designed to equip couples with the skills and knowledge they need to create and maintain harmonious marriages.
