In over twenty countries around the world, the second week of February is celebrated as Marriage Week – a time to encourage and celebrate marriage as an institution. The initiative was started by a couple in the United Kingdom in 1997 and has been growing worldwide since then, with this year marking the 10th anniversary of the celebrations in Hungary.
Marriage Weeks around the world bring together faith groups, media outlets, businesses, and even governments to host thousands of events each year, and this year marks the 10th year of celebrations in Hungary. The ritual of marriage is uniquely valued in cultures and nations around the world. According to Marriage Week International, marriage, “provides the best possible foundation for individuals who choose to partner for the long term to play a full and meaningful part in contributing towards a secure society.”
Marriage Week understands that the way people view marriage has changed over time, and so the organization seeks to promote the benefits to being married as well as provide support for couples who are already married. “Many couples today come to marriage to celebrate the stability of their relationships rather than to initiate them, so we see couples marrying later in life, often after living together for a period prior to marriage,” notes Marriage Week International.
To learn more about the history of Marriage Week, you can explore this article from the RCH.
Written by Kearstin Bailey