United Nations Resident Coordinator in India Shombi Sharp confirmed on June 13 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi to going to lead the yoga session at the United Nations Secretariat in New York, US. PM Modi will lead the yoga session on June 21 to mark the 9th International Day of Yoga.
This Yoga session in New York is also coinciding with the state visit of PM Modi to the United States from June 21-24. He is coming to the US at the invitation of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden and will also be addressing the Joint Session of the Congress on June 22.
As per the advisory issued by the UN, “The Permanent Mission of India to the UN invites you to a celebration of the 9th annual International Yoga Day on June 21, 2023, from 8-9 a.m. EST at the North Lawn of UN Headquarters in New York”.
Top UN officials, ambassadors, envoys, representatives from Member States, as well as well-known members of the international and diaspora communities, are anticipated to attend the historic yoga session. During the event, Yoga mats will be available, and the advisory encourages guests and participants to dress in yoga-friendly attire for the special session.
Sharp said while interacting with the media, “The world has truly embraced International Yoga Day”. He added, “Everyone understood, and 175 member states signed it very quickly. It is one of those popular international days and really embodies so many things. It is about mindfulness and mental health”.
On June 15, the President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Korosi, is looking forward to attending the Yoga day celebrations and tweeted, “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”.
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.https://t.co/yzK5GLusFb pic.twitter.com/YxE4zdkHp2
— UN GA President (@UN_PGA) June 15, 2023
Even Michelin-star chef, author, filmmaker and entrepreneur Vikas Khanna expressed his joy about India’s influence worldwide. He tweeted, “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”.
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🇮🇳 🇺🇸 @IndianEmbassyUS@Yoshita_Singh@ANI@IndiainNewYork#HistoricStateVisit2023#PMStateVisit2023#PMStateVisitUSA#IndiaUSAPartnership… pic.twitter.com/OGLLRraJUj— Vikas Khanna (@TheVikasKhanna) June 16, 2023
Khanna’s tweet was also accompanied by a video message in which he said, “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,”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi first introduced the proposal during his address at the opening of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, in which 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 the nature”.
The UN emphasised that “Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolising the union of body and consciousness. Today it is practised in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity”.
UN recognised the universal appeal of Yoga, and a resolution was adopted by the General Assembly on December 11, 2014, to celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21. The resolution noted “The importance of individuals and populations making healthier choices and following lifestyle patterns that foster good health”.
In this regard, the World Health Organization (WHO) has also encouraged its member nations “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”.
