Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Yoga is a unifying force and a source of strength, harmony and peace, said United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres on Tuesday.
The benefits of this practice are ‘particularly precious in a dangerous and divided world’, said the UNSG in a speech titled ‘Yoga Unites’.
“Yoga offers a haven of calm. It can reduce anxiety and promote mental well being. It helps us to develop discipline and patience. It connects us to our planet, which so badly needs our protection. And it reveals our common humanity – helping us to understand that despite our differences, we are one,” said Guterres.
“On this International Day of Yoga, let us embrace the spirit of unity, and resolve to build a better, more harmonious world for people, planet, and ourselves,” he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on his first state visit to the US, will lead the 9th International Yoga Day celebrations at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday. Many high-profile officials including President of the UNGA Csaba Korosi, diplomatic representatives of almost the entire UN membership of over 190 countries, the Mayor of New York Eric Adams and other political leaders from New York and leading Indian-American diaspora are expected to join PM Modi on the north lawns of the UN complex on the morning of June 21.
The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated worldwide annually on June 21 since 2015.
In his 2014 UN address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the date of June 21, as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and shares a special significance in many parts of the world.
As the ninth annual International Yoga Day begins on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi is set to visit the United Nations, the very place where this occasion received international recognition.
Thus began a powerful exercise in soft power diplomacy. Today, International Yoga Day is not merely a symbol of India but also a significant leverage point in Indian diplomacy worldwide.
The resolution was passed unanimously at the UN conference and thus June 21 became the International Day of Yoga.
ALSO READ | Yoga diplomacy: PM Modi will bend leaders into shape on International Yoga Day
Back in 2014, the potential opposition from China was a major consideration. However, those were different times for India-China relations. China not only agreed to the resolution but also became one of the first co-sponsors.
The inaugural Yoga Day celebrations in 2015 in India made history, creating two remarkable Guinness World Records with the largest yoga session ever recorded – 35,985 individuals – and the participation of 84 different nationalities in New Delhi on Rajpath or what is now known as Kartavya Path. It wasn’t just about setting records; it was about creating a moment of unity, where diverse cultures intertwined and barriers dissolved into a collective symphony of breath and movement.
Meanwhile, lakhs of people are gearing up for the 9th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2023 on June 21. The Yoga Day national celebrations will be officially led by vice president Jagdeep Dhankar at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
About 15,000 people are expected to participate in the main event. This year’s theme of IDY is ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, a tribute to India’s socio-cultural heritage.
Preparations for IDY 2023 started on March 13, with a 100-day countdown launched by the minister of Ayush. Since then, the daily countdown has been observed by all stakeholders, including government bodies, making it a mass movement, that will culminate on June 21.
This year’s Yoga Day will witness unique features like the Ocean Ring of Yoga, where the Indian Navy and merchant ships will organise CYP demonstrations at port/vessels of friendly countries in different oceans.
Yoga from Arctic to Antarctica is another feature in which the MEA is coordinating with the Ministry of Ayush to organize CYP in countries falling in and around the Prime Meridian line besides UN member countries.
Yoga events will be held at the North Pole and South Pole regions in coordination with the MoES at Himadri, the Indian research base in Arctic and Bharati and the Indian research base in Antarctica.
Yoga Bharatmala has been conceptualised, where the Indian Armed Forces along with ITBP, BSF, BRO will make a chain of yoga demonstrations in unison. Yoga Sagarmala will witness yoga along the Indian coast line. There will also be yoga demonstrations at the flight deck of INS Vikrant under the leadership of the defence minister.
At the national level, the International Day of Yoga will try to achieve ‘Har Aangan Yoga’ by enabling people’s participation of yoga at village level.
PM Modi, in his letter to village sarpanchs, appealed to them to celebrate the day with their villagers in full strength. Anyone can join the celebration in their nearest anganwadis, health and wellness centres and schools.
Apart from this, around 2 lakh Common Service Centres, AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres under the National AYUSH Mission, AYUSH Gram will also participate in the International Yoga Day celebrations. Around 50,000 people are expected to gather at Amrit Sarovar to perform yoga.
The Ministry of Ayush, in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Ministry of External Affairs, is hosting a photography contest ‘Yoga My Pride’ on the MyGov.in platform.
National and international participants can upload a photo of themselves doing yogasanas along with a caption apt for the photograph. The best photographs in three categories will be awarded prizes.
This year a ‘Y-break’ at workspaces was also introduced by the Ministry of Ayush with the aim for employees to get de-stressed, refreshed, and re-focused at workspace. All ministries/departments of government of India have been requested to ask their employees to practice yoga in their chairs.
All key ministries of the government of India, state governments, national and international leading yoga institutes and organisations, universities, Armed Forces, NSS & NYK volunteers and other stakeholders are already participating in various run-up activities of IDY 2023. Along with these Indian missions and embassies, UN member countries will also participate in the International Day of Yoga on June 21.
NEW DELHI: Yoga is a unifying force and a source of strength, harmony and peace, said United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres on Tuesday.
The benefits of this practice are ‘particularly precious in a dangerous and divided world’, said the UNSG in a speech titled ‘Yoga Unites’.
“Yoga offers a haven of calm. It can reduce anxiety and promote mental well being. It helps us to develop discipline and patience. It connects us to our planet, which so badly needs our protection. And it reveals our common humanity – helping us to understand that despite our differences, we are one,” said Guterres. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1687167573941-0’); });
“On this International Day of Yoga, let us embrace the spirit of unity, and resolve to build a better, more harmonious world for people, planet, and ourselves,” he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on his first state visit to the US, will lead the 9th International Yoga Day celebrations at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday. Many high-profile officials including President of the UNGA Csaba Korosi, diplomatic representatives of almost the entire UN membership of over 190 countries, the Mayor of New York Eric Adams and other political leaders from New York and leading Indian-American diaspora are expected to join PM Modi on the north lawns of the UN complex on the morning of June 21.
The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated worldwide annually on June 21 since 2015.
In his 2014 UN address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the date of June 21, as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and shares a special significance in many parts of the world.
As the ninth annual International Yoga Day begins on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi is set to visit the United Nations, the very place where this occasion received international recognition.
Thus began a powerful exercise in soft power diplomacy. Today, International Yoga Day is not merely a symbol of India but also a significant leverage point in Indian diplomacy worldwide.
The resolution was passed unanimously at the UN conference and thus June 21 became the International Day of Yoga.
ALSO READ | Yoga diplomacy: PM Modi will bend leaders into shape on International Yoga Day
Back in 2014, the potential opposition from China was a major consideration. However, those were different times for India-China relations. China not only agreed to the resolution but also became one of the first co-sponsors.
The inaugural Yoga Day celebrations in 2015 in India made history, creating two remarkable Guinness World Records with the largest yoga session ever recorded – 35,985 individuals – and the participation of 84 different nationalities in New Delhi on Rajpath or what is now known as Kartavya Path. It wasn’t just about setting records; it was about creating a moment of unity, where diverse cultures intertwined and barriers dissolved into a collective symphony of breath and movement.
Meanwhile, lakhs of people are gearing up for the 9th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2023 on June 21. The Yoga Day national celebrations will be officially led by vice president Jagdeep Dhankar at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
About 15,000 people are expected to participate in the main event. This year’s theme of IDY is ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, a tribute to India’s socio-cultural heritage.
Preparations for IDY 2023 started on March 13, with a 100-day countdown launched by the minister of Ayush. Since then, the daily countdown has been observed by all stakeholders, including government bodies, making it a mass movement, that will culminate on June 21.
This year’s Yoga Day will witness unique features like the Ocean Ring of Yoga, where the Indian Navy and merchant ships will organise CYP demonstrations at port/vessels of friendly countries in different oceans.
Yoga from Arctic to Antarctica is another feature in which the MEA is coordinating with the Ministry of Ayush to organize CYP in countries falling in and around the Prime Meridian line besides UN member countries.
Yoga events will be held at the North Pole and South Pole regions in coordination with the MoES at Himadri, the Indian research base in Arctic and Bharati and the Indian research base in Antarctica.
Yoga Bharatmala has been conceptualised, where the Indian Armed Forces along with ITBP, BSF, BRO will make a chain of yoga demonstrations in unison. Yoga Sagarmala will witness yoga along the Indian coast line. There will also be yoga demonstrations at the flight deck of INS Vikrant under the leadership of the defence minister.
At the national level, the International Day of Yoga will try to achieve ‘Har Aangan Yoga’ by enabling people’s participation of yoga at village level.
PM Modi, in his letter to village sarpanchs, appealed to them to celebrate the day with their villagers in full strength. Anyone can join the celebration in their nearest anganwadis, health and wellness centres and schools.
Apart from this, around 2 lakh Common Service Centres, AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres under the National AYUSH Mission, AYUSH Gram will also participate in the International Yoga Day celebrations. Around 50,000 people are expected to gather at Amrit Sarovar to perform yoga.
The Ministry of Ayush, in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Ministry of External Affairs, is hosting a photography contest ‘Yoga My Pride’ on the MyGov.in platform.
National and international participants can upload a photo of themselves doing yogasanas along with a caption apt for the photograph. The best photographs in three categories will be awarded prizes.
This year a ‘Y-break’ at workspaces was also introduced by the Ministry of Ayush with the aim for employees to get de-stressed, refreshed, and re-focused at workspace. All ministries/departments of government of India have been requested to ask their employees to practice yoga in their chairs.
All key ministries of the government of India, state governments, national and international leading yoga institutes and organisations, universities, Armed Forces, NSS & NYK volunteers and other stakeholders are already participating in various run-up activities of IDY 2023. Along with these Indian missions and embassies, UN member countries will also participate in the International Day of Yoga on June 21.
