Mass Wedding Brings 240 Couples Together in Herat, Afghanistan
A mass wedding ceremony united 240 couples in Herat province, western Afghanistan, on Sunday. Organized by a local charity, the event aimed to support young people struggling to marry due to widespread poverty, high unemployment, and cultural expectations for expensive dowries and lavish weddings.
Each couple received household essentials, including carpets, blankets, and kitchen tools, worth 100,000 afghani (approximately $1,460), according to Mawlawi Abdul Haq Sadiqi, the head of the charity. These contributions are intended to ease the financial burden of starting a household in a country grappling with a severe economic crisis.
This event follows a similar mass wedding in northern Sari Pul province, where 100 couples tied the knot. Mass weddings, like those in Herat and Sari Pul, are becoming increasingly common in Afghanistan as families face deepening financial hardships. Such ceremonies allow couples to marry without the heavy costs of traditional Afghan weddings, which often include large gatherings, costly gifts, and multiday celebrations.
The Afghan caretaker government has urged citizens to abandon extravagant marriage customs and opt for more modest ceremonies to conserve resources. These efforts are part of broader attempts to address Afghanistan’s dire economic situation and social challenges.
