GG News Bureau
United Nations, 16th June. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a yoga session at the United Nations Headquarters for the first time on June 21, marking the 9th International Day of Yoga.
The International Day of Yoga strives to enhance global awareness of the numerous advantages of yoga practice. Recognizing its international appeal, the United Nations declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga in December 2014.
“On the occasion of the 9th International Day of Yoga, the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations cordially invites you to join a Yoga session led by H. E. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,” an advisory for the event said.
Nine years after Prime Minister Modi suggested from the UN General Assembly podium that International Yoga Day be celebrated annually, the Indian leader will be visiting the UN Headquarters for the first time to lead the yoga session in a historic observance of the day.
The Yoga session will take place on June 21 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on the wide North Lawn of the UN Headquarters, where a bust of Mahatma Gandhi, a gift from India to the UN, was unveiled last December during India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council.
Top UN officials, ambassadors, envoys, delegates from Member States, and notable members of the global and diaspora communities are scheduled to attend the historic yoga session. The advisory encourages guests and participants to dress in Yoga-friendly apparel for the special session and mentions that Yoga mats will be provided.
“Welcome to take it home as a souvenir,” it said.
“I am looking forward to participating in the 9th International Day of Yoga celebrations @UN with Prime Minister @NarendraModi at the UNHQ North Lawn next week,” President of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly Csaba Korosi said in a tweet Thursday.
The tweet is accompanied by a photograph of Korosi with Prime Minister Modi.
The first International Day of Yoga was observed in 2015, and since then, several sessions and events have been held at the United Nations, Times Square, and other notable locations around the world to emphasize the advantages and universal appeal of Yoga.
Yoga, according to the UN, is an ancient physical, mental, and spiritual discipline that began in India. The term ‘yoga’ is derived from Sanskrit and means to join or unite, representing the unity of body and consciousness. It is now practiced in various forms all around the world and is growing in popularity.
India proposed the draft UNGA resolution creating the International Day of Yoga, which was approved by a record 175 member nations.
Prime Minister Modi initially mentioned the suggestion in his opening remarks to the 69th session of the General Assembly, when he said: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action … a holistic approach (that) is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.”
The resolution notes “the importance of individuals and populations making healthier choices and following lifestyle patterns that foster good health.”
On this, the World Health Organisation has also urged its member states to help their citizens reduce physical inactivity, which is among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide, and a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes, the UN said.
“So proud of India’s impact in the World. From Yoga to cuisine to technology to education to science to arts to entertainment…and beyond,” Michelin-star chef, author, filmmaker and entrepreneur Vikas Khanna said in a tweet, welcoming Prime Minister Modi, who will head from New York to Washington DC on June 21 for his first Official State Visit on June 22.
“As an Indian living in America for the last almost 25 years, I am really honoured by Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US. He has been a bridge between the two greatest democracies in the world. At the same time, he has given us opportunities, he has given us a voice and also given us the pride to represent our country in America,” Khanna said in a video message accompanying his tweet.
Khanna stated that he is “really looking forward” to the visit and that he will be “inspired to present India in its highest glory to the world.”
Prime Minister Modi will be in the United States from June 21 to June 24, at the invitation of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. On June 22, they will welcome Prime Minister Modi at a state dinner. The visit also includes an address to the Joint Session of the Congress on June 22.
On June 23, Prime Minister Modi will address an invitation-only gathering of diaspora leaders from around the country at Washington’s Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
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