UN Marks International Yoga Day With Global Participation

NEW YORK- Diplomats, United Nations staff and visitors from around the world gathered at UN Headquarters in New York to celebrate the International Day of Yoga with asanas, breathing exercises and meditation sessions.

This year’s theme was “Yoga for Healthy Ageing.”

In a message marking the occasion, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Yoga teaches us mindfulness, respect, and care for ourselves, for our planet, and for one another.”

“On this International Day, let us extend that care to the older members of our human family and build a world where every generation can lead a healthy life,” he added.

The celebration was held on Thursday ahead of the official International Day of Yoga observance on June 21.

Speaking at the event, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador P. Harish, recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of yoga as a global movement promoting health, wellness and international cooperation.

“The simplest yoga asana is ‘namaste,’ symbolizing the unity of mind and body of human and nature,” Harish said.

Held on the UN North Lawn near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the event saw participants from countries across the world take part in yoga practices beginning with the chanting of “Om” and continuing through a series of asanas.

Similar celebrations were held across the United States. In Washington, hundreds of yoga enthusiasts gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for an event organized by the Embassy of India. Addressing participants, India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, described yoga as part of India’s civilizational heritage and said the practice had become widely embraced across American society.

The International Day of Yoga was established by the UN General Assembly in 2014 following a proposal by Prime Minister Modi. The resolution was co-sponsored by 177 countries, a record at the time. (IANS)