UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has stated that yoga has its roots in India and is today practiced all across the world, bringing people together with its values of balance, mindfulness, and peace.
In his message on the 10th International Yoga Day, Guterres asked people to be inspired by the ancient practice’s timeless values and call for a more peaceful and harmonious future.
The United Nations declared 21 June as International Day of Yoga in December 2014, noting the practice’s global appeal. India proposed the draft UN General Assembly resolution creating the International Day of Yoga, which received support from a record 175 member states.
In a message on Friday as the world celebrated the 10th International Yoga Day, Guterres said, “The International Day of Yoga recognizes the ancient practice’s unmatched power to deliver healing, inner peace and physical, spiritual and mental well-being”.
“With roots in India but now embraced worldwide by people of all faiths and cultures, Yoga unites people with its values of balance, mindfulness, and peace with people and planet alike”, Guterres tweeted in the message posted on X by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN.
He also mentioned that this year’s theme ‘Yoga for Self and Society’ reminds us of Yoga’s important role in enhancing people’s lives and the wider community.
“On this important day, let us all be inspired by Yoga’s timeless values and its call for a more peaceful and harmonious future”, the UN chief continued.
The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations organized the commemoration of the 10th International Yoga Day at the UN Headquarters’ North Lawn Area, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a historic celebration last year, nine years after proposing June 21 as International Yoga Day from the UN General Assembly podium.
The event was attended by UN envoys, personnel, officials, diaspora members, and yoga fans and practitioners.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed greeted the attendees with a ‘Namaste’ and stated that yoga, at its core, is about the unification of mind, body, and spirit.
Mohammed went on to say that since the United Nations General Assembly recognized June 21 as the International Day of Yoga ten years ago, the celebration and momentum have continuously increased.
“Today, it brings millions of us together of all ages and diverse backgrounds to honor this ancient tradition”, Mohammed remarked, referring to the Guinness World Record set at last year’s Yoga Day observance for the most nations performing Yoga simultaneously.
At least 135 countries were represented at the 2023 Yoga event.
The UN Chamber Music Society performed world music repertoire, and yoga teachers offered meditation and yoga sessions.
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