Page 60 - Mann Ki Baat - English May 2022
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international day of yoGa
spiritual, emotional and mental
health has become a global
treasure and an international
movement. Its success is not the
strength of the support in the
UNGA, but the enthusiastic and
voluntary participation by millions
of people in every country of the
world on the International Day
of Yoga, or IDY. Cutting across
age, gender, ethnicity, religions,
Jawed Ashraf beliefs, languages, cultures,
professions and pursuits, people
India's Ambassador to France
come together to celebrate the
IDY. Nothing in our often fractured
world unites humanity in a shared
th
As we approach the 8
pursuit for a common good today
International Day of Yoga, I
more than the IDY.
remember Prime Minister’s
maiden speech to the United As Hon’ble Prime Minister
Nations General Assembly (UNGA) announced in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on
th
in September 2014, in which he 29 May, the power of Yoga to link
asked the global body to declare the world will be aptly captured
June 21 as the International in the programme of Global
Day of Yoga. By standards of Yoga Ring on 21 June, in which
st
conventional foreign policy, it was Yoga events will follow sunrise
bold, imaginative and innovative. in cities across the world from
Its purpose, however, was rooted the east to the west, through all
in the core principles of the UN the time zones and will be live-
Charter and the fundamental streamed globally. This will be
values of humanity – a healthy one manifestation of this year’s
individual, a harmonious theme, ‘Yoga for Humanity’, which
society, a peaceful world and a reflects Prime Minister’s – and
sustainable planet. The response India’s efforts – to heal a world
was unprecedented. The UNGA wounded and debilitated by
resolution was co-sponsored by COVID and conflicts.
more than 170 of the 193 member
Serving in various cities abroad
countries and was adopted
over three decades, I discovered
unanimously within a few weeks.
that Yoga had an international
Over the past seven years, following, albeit on a limited
an ancient gift of India for scale. However, IDY and India’s
wholesome living and physical, continuous efforts at scientific
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