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Mass wedding hits Ethiopian capital - 24th Jan 2024

A mass wedding in Addis Ababa has brought hundreds of couples together. These enormous events are a celebration of the varied cultures of Ethiopia, Africa's second most populated country.

For bride Gadise Zabana, who's Oromo, it was the perfect way to get married. It also meant the wedding costs were reasonable.

Gadise Zabana: "It is so pleasing to get wed like this with many people from different cultures and we also save ourselves from wedding expenses."

Due to Covid-19 and other reasons, this has been the first mass wedding for over 10 years. The organisers are hopeful such celebrations will attract visitors. Ethiopia's currently better known for its coffee than its tourism.

Ethiopia's a country which is very rich culturally. Over 80 languages are spoken, with five official languages!

There's a lot of excitement as couples move through the streets to the wedding venue. They're mainly dressed in white. However, their clothing varies according to the couples' tribes and the regions they come from.

Groom Workeneh Assefa's an Amharic speaker. He finds the mixture of so many cultures – the clothes and the music – to be extraordinary.

Workeneh Assefa: "There are so many distinct cultural attires and wedding songs which makes this unique. Mass wedding is pleasing. We are delighted."

The group celebration allows the happy couples to celebrate in ways they couldn't usually afford. It also connects people together, something of great importance for organiser Eshetu Geletu.

Eshetu Geletu: "Building a family is building a nation. That is the main objective of our project."