A batch of 202 brides and grooms have today tied the knot as part of the 24th mass wedding. Parliament Speaker Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Dhahrani patronised the ceremony at Shikhan Convention Hall in Riffa.Sponsored by UAE National Consultative Council Speaker Abdulla bin Mohammed Al-Masoud, the wedding ceremony was attended by dignitaries and officials. This is the fifth time NCC Chairman Abdullah Mohammed Al-Masoud sponsors mass weddings in Bahrain.A total of 2,700 brides and grooms have so far tied the knot as part of the mass-wedding project, which was first launched six years ago. In a statement today, Mr. Al-Dhahrani stressed the need to launch a national strategy aimed at promoting unity, tolerance, renunciation of hatred, violence and terrorism in line with His Majesty's royal directives, for Bahrain to remain an oasis of amity, harmony and co-existence.