‘YOGA’ fervor continues across the globe: Yogis in UAE, Saudi, US perform Asanas with great enthusiasm on #InternationalYogaDay2018
New Delhi, June 21: Today is fourth International Yoga Day and thousands of Yogis across the world have laid down their mats and performed various ‘Yoga Aasanas’. Due to the efforts of India at UN to recognize Yoga across the globe, today as many as 180 countries are celebrating Yoga day including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, United States of America etc.
India’s latest fitness challenge craze on social media is not only seeing its real-life version today in the country but across the globe on the occasion of 4th International Yoga Day celebrations.
Notably, Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which provide peace, harmony etc. However, it is only India who promoted Yoga on the international platform and is being praised globally.
The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, United States of America are such countries which is celebrating fourth International Yoga Day with great enthusiasm. Not only Indian community but all the other communities with different religions including men, women, children came together to perform Yoga today.
UAE
Unlike in the past three years, there were multiple venues across the UAE for World Yoga Day celebration. The participants trooped to the main venues in Dubai such as Burj Park, Zabeel Park and Burhani Complex in Al Nahda, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, and Al Arabi Sports Club in Umm Al Quwain. The event included onstage yoga, yoga posture and fitness competitions and sessions by various yoga schools.
The events in Dubai will also be organized by the Indian Consulate General with support from several local schools and yoga associations such as The Art of Living. In Dubai, Saudi Arabia's first certified yoga instructor Nouf Marwaai will lead the festivities in Zaabeel Park from 6 pm.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is also celebrating International Yoga Day by performing Yoga at various places of Kingdom with great enthusiasm. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has organized an event at the Al-Madi Park in the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center to celebrate the fourth International Day of Yoga under the supervision of Indian Ambassador Ahmad Javed.
The Indian embassy also marked the event on its premises and also at the Indian International Schools in Riyadh and Dammam. Around 1500 students of the International Indian school in Riyadh will give a demonstration of various asanas during the event.
Thousands of Abu Dhabi residents will also participate in the fourth International Day of Yoga organized by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Umm Al Emarat Park authorities. Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance, will attend the event.
The United States of America
Yoga fervor in the United States of America continues as lakhs of people at various places came together to make this day historical and performed Yoga with full of joy and enthusiasm. Young and Old, Men and Women, Indian and American all united today to celebrated fourth International Yoga Day. People dressed in white shirts and trousers performed Yoga in an event in the United States of America. Washington, Houston, New York, Geneva and several other cities majorly organized mega-events on Yoga Day in which thousands of people performed Yoga together.
On 17th June, Hundreds of yoga enthusiasts gathered to exercise various asanas at historic monuments of the US, including the Capitol Hill, kick-starting a host of events planned to mark the fourth anniversary of the International Day of Yoga. People from various backgrounds, accompanied with their families, participated in the yoga sessions, performing the Surya Namaskar, Pranayama, various yoga asanas and breathing exercises.
United Nations
Apart from various countries, a giant of humanitarian organizations United Nations is also celebrating fourth International Yoga Day. The headquarter of United Nations were lit up to mark the celebration of Yoga power.
Syed Akbaruddin, India’s Ambassador & Permanent Representative to the United Nations, posted a picture of the UN headquarters which have been decorated to mark fourth International Yoga Day. He in a tweet said, “Yoga lights up UN Headquarters. Multiple events @UN to celebrate the 4th International Day of Yoga.”
The Indian consulate organized Yoga session at United Nations in which representatives of various countries participated.
Besiana Kadare, an Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations in New York in a tweet said, Happy ambassadorial selfie 😊Feeling relaxed after an outdoor #yoga session at the @UN organized by @IndiaUNNewYork, with my colleagues PRs of #Canada #Malaysia #Iraq #Bhutan #Cambodia. Many thanks to India 🇮🇳 PR @AkbaruddinIndia for hosting us #InternationalDayofYoga2018.”
Japanese Mission at UN also celebrated Yoga Day at an event organized by the Indian consulate in UN. Taking to a twitter, Japanese Mission said, “We’re celebrating #YogaDay today at @UN w/ @IndiaUNNewYork! This year’s theme is #Yoga4Peace! Ambassador Kawamura, who used to work at the Embassy of #Japan in #India, & Ambassador Hoshino & his wife participated in the #Yoga Session Yoga Masters at the North Lawn! #YogaDay2018.”
Australian Ambassador to UN Gillian Bird said, “Celebrating International Day of Yoga with colleagues from Lebanon, Lithuania and Turkmenistan. Thanks to @IndiaUNNewYork for organising. Great way to end the day.”
BACKGROUND
The United Nations declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga in 2014 after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, himself a yogi, called for the day to be declared as a global celebration of yoga, an ancient practice that originated in India more than 5,000 years ago, that has now become a worldwide phenomenon.