UN Headquarters pulsates as yoga enthusiasts celebrate Indian ancient tradition
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United Nations, Jun 21: India contributed to many aspects of the modern world, but the most important contribution is ‘Yoga’. Today Yoga is a mass movement. Today is the every Indian is feeling proud because today the world is celebrating the International Day of Yoga. Every nook and corner of the world is performing yoga. In this mass movement, the UN is also taking part with huge enthusiasm.
The International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on June 21 to raise global awareness about the benefits of the ancient Indian practice.
The celebrations started at UN from yesterday’s evening only, The United Nations headquarters was lit up with postures of "Surya Namaskar" and the message of "Yoga for Climate Action" as India's Permanent Mission to the UN kick-started its celebrations for the 5th International Day of Yoga.
The North side of UN Secretariat building was lit up with “Surya Namaskar” or “Sun Salutation” postures against the vibrant colorful background.
On a foggy and rainy evening on Wednesday, yoga postures were projected on the North Facade of the UN Headquarters Building during a special ceremony attended by India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu and diplomats and officials from the Indian mission.
To celebrate this universal movement, the Indian mission at UN organized several special events to mark the 5th International Yoga Day.
On this day, "Yoga with the Gurus" will be held Thursday evening on the sprawling North Lawn in the United Nations Headquarters and Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed will be Chief Guest at the event.
On the event in UNGA assembly hall, the celebrations started with the musical and dance performances by “Indian Raga”.
On June 21, the commemoration day, a panel discussion on the theme of "Yoga for Climate Action" will be held at the UN headquarters. Moderated by Mr. Naidu, the discussion will feature lifestyle coach and motivational speaker Gaur Gopal Das, Acharya for International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre Srinivasan, Yoga teacher, author and lecturer Eddie Stern, author, speaker, and philosopher Simon Haas and Kusumita Pedersen, Professor of Religious Studies at St Francis College, Brooklyn.
On this occasion, Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador said, "I hope this indoor yoga session in Gen Assembly hall, the first of its kind, will reinforce values of cleaner,greener&more sustainable future that all of you yogis are committed to".
Exhibitions on Yoga are also going on in the UN building, including the "Exhibition on International Day of Yoga - World Photo Series".
The International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on June 21 to raise global awareness about the benefits of the ancient Indian practice.
On December 11, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as "International Day of Yoga", months after PM Modi proposed the idea.