Millions of people across the globe celebrated the 11th International Day of Yoga, with events held in various countries, including India, the United States, China, and the United Kingdom.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” emphasizing the interconnectedness of human well-being and the natural world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the main event in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, where over three lakh people participated.
He highlighted yoga’s role in promoting peace and unity, saying, “The theme of this year’s International Day of Yoga reflects a deep truth—the health of every entity on Earth is interconnected. Yoga awakens us to this interconnectedness.”
“Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for humanity where inner peace becomes global policy. May today be the start of global peace,” the Prime Minister said.
Calling for a collective effort to advance a peaceful, balanced, and sustainable world, PM Modi emphasized that yoga offers a pathway to peace amid growing stress, unrest, and instability in various parts of the world.”
“Yoga is for all, beyond boundaries, backgrounds, age or ability… It has united the world,” PM Narendra Modi said.
President Droupadi Murmu participated in a mass yoga session in Dehradun, while Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh led the Armed Forces in celebrating the day with 2,500 soldiers at Northern Command, Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.
Yoga sessions were also held at iconic locations, including the Sydney Opera House, the United Nations headquarters in New York, and the banks of the River Ganga in Varanasi.
Foreign tourists joined yoga sessions in Varanasi, and ambassadors, high commissioners, and members of the diplomatic corps participated in the celebration led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi.
A yoga session held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, emphasized harmony between human well-being and the natural world.
The High Commission of India in London organized a yoga session, with India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Vikaram Doraiswami, participating in the event.
In China people performed yoga in Guangzhou, showcasing the global reach of this ancient Indian practice.
Some reports said that more than 2 crore people participate in yoga sessions across India.
The Ministry of Ayush launched 10 Signature Events, including Yoga Bandhan, Harit Yoga, and Yoga Unplugged, to engage all sections
Home Minister Amit Shah asserted: “योग सदियों से स्वस्थ और आरोग्य जीवन पद्धति वाली भारतीय परंपरा का अभिन्न अंग रहा है।” (Yoga has been an integral part of the Indian tradition of healthy and fit lifestyle for centuries).