June 21 marks International Day of Yoga

CAIRO – 21 June 2021: The world celebrates the International Day of Yoga on June 21 of every year.

India submitted a draft resolution to establish an International Day of Yoga, and the draft resolution was supported by 175 Member States.

It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who first proposed this day in his speech at the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly, in which he said: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient traditions and embodies the unity of body, mind, thought and action; a holistic approach that is important to our health and well-being. Yoga is not only an exercise but a way to discover a sense of unity with oneself, with the world and with nature.”

The decision points to the importance of individuals and populations in making healthy choices and following lifestyles that promote good health.

In this regard, the World Health Organization has been urging Member States to help their citizens to reduce physical inactivity, which is considered one of the ten causes of death worldwide, as well as a serious factor in non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

However, yoga is not just a physical activity. The President of the 69th session of the General Assembly, Sam Kutesa, emphasized this point before the vote on the resolution, where he said: “For centuries, people have been practicing yoga because they recognize its unique embodiment of the union of mind and body. Yoga harmoniously brings thought and action together.”

In his speech on the occasion of the first observance of the International Day of Yoga, the Secretary-General of the United Nations noted the global benefits of yoga, saying: “Yoga is a sport that can contribute to development and peace. It can also help people in emergency situations to relieve the pressures they face."