Why do we celebrate International Yoga Day

Why do we celebrate International Yoga Day?

The first international day of yoga was held in 2015, and continues to be observed on June 21 each year. The celebration in 2020 is themed “Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home” and will be the 6th annual celebration of International Yoga Day.

Why do we practice an international day of yoga and what makes the year 2020 special..

Why do we have an International Yoga Day on June 21st?

On 11 December 2014, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi addressed the United Nations who then proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga by resolution.

In his UN address, PM Modi put forward the commemorative date of 21 June, being the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, also known as the Summer solstice, and a date which shares a special significance with many other parts of the world.

In his address, the prime minister proclaimed; “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help in well being. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day.”

The enduring objective of International Day of Yoga is to raise global awareness of the benefits of practicing yoga.

The History of International Yoga Day

Observation of the first International Day of Yoga was held around the world on 21 June 2015. In New Delhi, India around 36,000 people, including dignitaries from 84 nations, performed a series of twenty-one asanas (yoga postures) for 35 minutes. This event at Rajpath, a ceremonial boulevard in New Delhi, was awarded two Guinness world records. The awards were for; the world’s largest yoga class, and the largest number of nationalities participating in a yoga event. The international day was observed by millions across the world, with another notable gathering in San Francisco, USA where 5,000 people joined together in Marina Green park to practice yoga in celebration of the day.

{Click to see CNN images of the first International Yoga day in 2015.}

On 20 and 21 June 2016 at the United Nations, a special event titled “Conversation with Yoga Masters – Yoga for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals” was at the forefront with well known Indian yogi and author Jaggi Vasudev as a main speaker. International Yoga Day 2016’s theme was “Connect the Youth”.

Themed “Yoga for Health”, in 2017 International Yoga Day again displayed record numbers showing up to events around the globe. Notable locations included; Lucknow, capital city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh where Indian prime minister Narendra Modi practiced yoga along with 51,000 participants, Times Square, New York where participants in the thousands gathered to practice yoga together. One event in China drew 10,000 participants in the city of Wuxi. In Athens, Greece an event on 25 June was dedicated to international yoga day as part of the Greek Open Yoga Day, and other major events were noted in cities around the world including Kiev in the Ukraine, Dublin in Ireland and Japan.

In 2018, India’s most populous state of Dehradun held an International Yoga Day practice of an estimated 50,000 volunteers,to mark the fourth yoga day anniversary. This year was themed “Yoga for Peace”. The Guiness World Record however was awarded to an event in the city of Kota in the northern indian state of Rajasthan, where an astonishing 100,000 people gathered to perform yoga together in recognition of the day.

The theme of 2019’s International Yoga Day was “Yoga for Heart”. For the fifth year running, numbers at events in India grew exponentially. At one event, the Indian Prime Minister made an address emphasizing the importance of Yoga for complete health noting that yoga incorporates the body, mind, society, and even the world’s climate. The prime minister hereby announced that the Indian government would be working to make yoga a pillar of their national healthcare system.

International Yoga Day 2020

The theme for the 2020 International Yoga day is “Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family”, a theme which appropriately coincides with the ‘stay home’ focus in the world this year, caused by the COVID19 pandemic.

What are the International Yoga Day objectives

Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice of growing significance and importance in the modern world.

The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated on 21 June each year since being accepted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014.

Yoga, meaning to join or to unite, is an ancient practice that originated in India, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. It is practiced in various forms today and continues to grow in popularity around the world.

The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practising yoga.

To raise awareness of the benefits of yoga and reconnect to nature.
To reduce the rate of disease and improve worldwide health.
To increase personal development and peace throughout the world.
To grow awareness of physical and mental illness and provide solutions through yoga.
To develop a habit of meditation for peace of mind, self-awareness and wisdom.