Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakashi Lekhi on June 17 said the message of Yoga is to spread the message of peace and prosperity.
“The message of Yoga is to rise above everything and to be able to spread the message of peace and prosperity,” the MoS Meenakashi Lekhi said.
MoS Meenakashi Lekhi, on June 17, participated in a Yoga session with diplomats and ministry officials in Delhi, ahead of the International Day of Yoga on June 21.
Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Amina J Mohammed, has said that she is looking forward to participating in the International Day of Yoga celebrations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN Headquarters North Lawn in New York on June 21.
Taking to Twitter, Amina J Mohammed said, “Looking forward to participating in the 9th International Day of Yoga celebrations @UN with Prime Minister @NarendraModi at the UNHQ North Lawn next week.”
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.
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 8am -9 am 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.
This Yoga session in New York is also coinciding with the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra 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.
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.”
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 Organisation (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”.
(with inputs from ANI)
