Alibaba observes its 15th Ali Day

Alibaba has celebrated Ali Day, an annual event honoring the tenacity and fighting spirit of their colleagues and their families during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome crisis in China 16 years ago.

Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma in 2005 declared May 10 as “Ali Day.” More than just a day of merriment, Ali Day is about paying tribute to employees and their family members, whom Ma often calls the company’s “biggest pillar.” It also underscores Alibaba’s values, placing “customers first, employees second and shareholders third.”

This year, offices across all time zones held their own celebrations. Their main Xixi Campus in Hangzhou was transformed into a giant carnival, with musical and dance performances by employees throughout the day. There was a play area for children, arts-and-crafts corners and magic shows.

The highlight of each Ali Day is the "group wedding," or a celebration of Alibaba employees who married during the previous year. This year was no exception, with 102 newlywed couples, dressed in crimson traditional Chinese attire, receiving sage advice from Ma, himself, who presided over the ceremony. The number 102 symbolizes the minimum number of years Ma has said he wants Alibaba to last, spanning three centuries.

This year, an Alibaba employee of Indian origin, Siddharth Shukla and his wife Pooja were a part of the illustrious Alibaba group wedding ceremony. Family and friends of the Indian couple joined in to witness this grand event and bless the couple and the other couples from various locations in China, Singapore, Russia, Italy and Indonesia.

Siddharth Shukla said, “My wife and I were very excited to be part of the ceremony and experience first-hand, what the Chinese culture is all about. The rituals we performed like feeding food and cutting hair were so significant to the little things you would want to do for your spouse everyday of marriage. Sharing this moment along with those of 101 other couples and the Alibaba Family made this experience even more special. It is not everyday you get Jack Ma to preside over your wedding ceremony, which was an exceptional moment, one which my wife and I will cherish for life.”

On Ali Day, executives personally extend their gratitude to family members of Alibaba employees. This year, Alibaba Group Vice Chairman Joe Tsai invited the entire New York staff and guests to a New York Liberty WNBA basketball game. In Hangzhou, Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang and Chief People Officer Judy Tong answered questions from employees’ family members.

In India, the Alibaba employees from Delhi and Bangalore travelled to the Mumbai office for a fun-filled day. They participated in a unique coffee painting workshop and created special souvenirs to take back home to their families. These souvenirs served as a gesture of appreciation for all the support they receive from their families.