Yoga enthusiasts globally mark International Day of Yoga

New York/Beijing, Jun 21 (PTI) Thousands of yoga enthusiasts from across the world rolled out their colourful yoga mats as they joined sessions of the ancient Indian practice to commemorate the International Day of Yoga on Saturday.

Recognising its universal appeal, in December 2014, the UN proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. The draft UN General Assembly resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states.

Eminent physician, author and wellness guru Deepak Chopra led a special guided meditation session to mark the International Yoga Day at the UN headquarters on Friday. The event was hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations.

Over 1,200 yoga practitioners, diplomats, UN officials, members of the diplomatic corps and the diaspora community participated in the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations at the UN.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, in his welcome address, said that this year's theme for the day - Yoga for One Earth, One Health’ is rooted in the ‘One Earth, One Health’ approach introduced during India's G20 presidency in 2023.

Harish said that at a time when stress, lifestyle diseases and mental health challenges are on the rise, yoga offers a steady, time-tested path that helps one find "calm within ourselves and live more peacefully within ourselves and with those around us.” Earlier in the day, the Consulate General of India in New York, in partnership with Times Square Alliance, celebrated the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) at the iconic Times Square. Acclaimed actor Anupam Kher attended the event at Times Square, described as the crossroads of the world.

The day-long celebration of yoga featured seven yoga sessions, in which about 10,000 people from across nationalities participated, showcasing the widespread enthusiasm for yoga in New York City and the US. In the UK, hundreds of people gathered at an iconic square on the Strand in London to join in a series of expert-led asanas and breathing techniques to mark the day. The event was organised by the High Commission of India in London.

Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami opened the proceedings on Friday by reading out a special message from King Charles III.

The 76-year-old monarch, known for his affinity for Yoga, said this annual celebration "promoted the global principles of unity, compassion and wellbeing".

“The theme of this year's day, Yoga for One Earth, One Health, reminds us how vitally important it is that the world comes together to secure a happy and healthy future for present and future generations,” read the King's message from Buckingham Palace.

“Initiatives like the International Day of Yoga provide an opportunity to celebrate a practice and philosophy that means so much to so many. Year on year, Yoga is increasing in popularity across the United Kingdom, with millions of people in our country reaping its benefits.

"Yoga is a powerful means of enabling anyone to improve their physical and mental health and fosters a sense of wellbeing and togetherness within communities,” he said.

In China, thousands of people participated in several yoga events, signifying the growing popularity of the practice in the country.

Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat participated in an event at the old Indian Embassy complex in Beijing along with other diplomats. Amid the surging enthusiasm, the embassy had to stop registration after over 1,500 people registered for the yoga event.

In Shanghai, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China and a dedicated yoga practitioner, Siddharth Chatterjee, was the Chief Guest at the Yoga Day celebrations conducted by the Indian Consulate.

About 300 Chinese took part in the yoga event organised by the Indian Consulate in Guangzhou in cooperation with a well-known Yoga Institute ‘Iyengar Yogshala’ on the banks of the Pearl River.

Consul General Shambhu Hakki, in his address, highlighted the role of famous yoga gurus like BKS Iyengar in promoting yoga in China.  In Singapore, the 11th IDY was held at Supertree Lawn in the central business district.

“In an increasingly divided world, we need more yoga to bring all of us together,” Dinesh Vasu Dash, Singapore's Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, as well as Manpower, said at the event.

“I think this is a wonderful opportunity for India and Singapore to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic unity, and for all people of different cultures, races, and religions to come together to celebrate a common goal,” Dash said in a keynote speech to the 300 participants, emphasising the importance of yoga in fostering a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

High Commissioner of India to Singapore Dr Shilpak Ambule said that this year’s global theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” captures the profound truth that the well-being of individuals, societies, and the planet is inseparably linked.

Singapore, with its deep respect for multiculturalism, wellness, and green innovation, has embraced yoga with warmth and openness, he noted.

In Nepal, the Embassy of India in Kathmandu organised a yoga and meditation session with over 500 participants on the banks of scenic Phewa Lake in Pokhara, celebrating the practice as a bridge between human consciousness and nature.

The mission, in collaboration with Lumbini Development Trust, also organised a yoga demonstration at the iconic Prince Siddhartha statue and Maya Devi Temple, in Lumbini Sanskritik area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

More than 500 yoga enthusiasts attended the event.

In Japan, the Indian Embassy in Tokyo organised the yoga festival at the iconic Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple.

Yoshiko Ishiba, the spouse of Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Satoko Iwaya, wife of Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, inaugurated the yoga festival.

The event brought together dignitaries, government representatives and over 2,000 friends of India and yoga enthusiasts in a shared celebration of wellness and harmony.

Indian Ambassador Sibi George addressed the gathering.

The event was also attended by Myoken Hayama and Tomohiro Kimura of Tsukiji Hongwanji, senior government officials, Resident Ambassadors and diplomats and friends of India in Japan.

In Malaysia, the High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur, along with the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre, organised a yoga event at the iconic Batu Caves Complex.

In Sri Lanka, the day was celebrated with an event at the iconic Independence Square in Colombo.

More than a thousand people, including several ministers, parliamentarians, cricketing legends, cultural icons and yoga enthusiasts participated in the event, the Indian High Commission said in a post on X.

In Thailand, the IDY was celebrated with great enthusiasm at the iconic grounds of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok this morning.

Over 4,000 participants from different walks of life performed the Yoga Protocol in unison, reflecting the spirit of ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, the Embassy of India in Bangkok posted on X.

"It was the culmination of the celebrations to commemorate 10 years of IDY. In Thailand, this milestone has been marked by more than 30 yoga events held in different parts of the country over the past 100 days," the post said.

At Saturday's event, Ambassador Nagesh Singh in his welcome remarks, highlighted the role of yoga in promoting physical, mental, and environmental well-being, which aligns with the global call for unity and sustainability.

Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, and Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University, graced the occasion as the Guests of Honour.

They encouraged people to embrace yoga for physical and emotional wellbeing and sustainable living and highlighted how the growing popularity of yoga in Thailand has brought the people of the two countries even closer.

In Australia, an event to mark the day was held at the iconic old Parliament House in Canberra.

Senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the diplomatic corps, and vibrant Indian and Australian communities joined the High Commission of India to mark it. PTI NSA NSA