World says yes to yoga

From Colombo to Kabul and Nairobi to New York, high-profile politicians and the hoi polloi came out in large numbers to showcase their yoga postures and send a message of unity on the occasion of the fifth International Yoga Day on Friday.

If President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena urged everyone to practice yoga just like him, thousands of people including Indian expats celebrated Yoga Day in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, with a message of peace and harmony.

In Sri Lanka, several events are being organised to mark the International Day of Yoga.

Hundreds of students along with provincial governor Suren Raghavan attended a Yoga programme in Tamil-majority Northern Province. The participants performed several yoga asanas under the supervision of trained Yoga gurus.

“I compliment my friend @narendramodi for his efforts at bringing our common heritage of Yoga to the international stage. I urge all to practice yoga like me,” Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena tweeted on Friday.

Yoga Day was also celebrated in countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Israel, Bhutan, Uzbekistan, Germany and Singapore, among others.

“At an excellent initiative of Mr. Atiqul Islam, Mayor of #Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), a yoga session was conducted at #Uttara park today,” the High Commission of India in Bangladesh tweeted.

“Yoga in front of #White House #YogaDay2019,” tweeted the Indian Embassy in Washington.

At an event in Beijing, China Indian Ambassador Vikram Misri and diplomats from other countries, including Nepal’s envoy to China, preformed various poses of yoga with hundred of people.

“Yoga represents aspirations of the people from India and China… it is beneficial to work together in spirit of ‘friendship and cooperation’,” Misri said.

In Nepal, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli led the fifth International Yoga Day celebrations attended by fitness enthusiasts in the country’s capital on Friday.

On the occasion, a grand procession was organised from Ratna Park in central Kathmandu to City Hall (Rashtriya Sabha Griha).