The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in December 2014 declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga.
The resolution, led by India and co-sponsored by a record 177 nations including Malta, was passed within a record time of fewer than 75 days. The idea for declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga was proposed by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on 27 September 2014 wherein he said "Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; 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”.
The declaration of 21 June as the International Day of Yoga is a recognition of Yoga as an ancient heritage of the entire humankind. It further recognizes the important role Yoga plays as a holistic approach to health and well-being of the people.
Yoga is a Sanskrit word which in its literal translation means to connect or to unite. Yoga is described as a set of techniques and practices that seeks the fusion of body, mind and spirit through meditation, breathing exercises and physical postures.
Yoga with its scientific base and simple exercises helps a person to keep one’s body and mind fit. It is known to help significantly in building immunity and help protect against lifestyle diseases. Yoga helps in managing mental stress by building up psychological health and emotional well-being.
The fact that to practice yoga, one does not need any particular equipment, that it can be practised at home also and that it is suitable for all age-groups, explains its huge popularity.
Today, with the whole world fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the relevance of Yoga with its focus on physical, mental and emotional well-being of a person has never been more evident.
Since its unanimous adoption by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, International Day of Yoga has been celebrated all around the world with major events being organized at iconic venues around the world attended by thousands of people. Yoga has now become a global phenomenon uniting individuals, families and societies, who are embracing it as a way of life.
Since I arrived in Malta more than two years ago, I have been pleasantly surprised to meet many Yoga experts and enthusiasts in Malta, confirming its popularity in Malta also. High Commission of India has been celebrating International Day of Yoga in Malta with enthusiastic participation from Yoga enthusiasts in Malta for past few years.
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s theme for IDY is ‘Yoga @ Home’ and ‘Yoga with Family’. Practising Yoga becomes even more relevant in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic to build immunity and keep body and mind healthy. As Yoga leads to perfect harmony between mind and body, man and nature, individual consciousness and universal consciousness, it is a perfect panacea to resort to fighting mental and physical stress, and for general health and well-being. Let us adopt Yoga as a part of our life and lead a healthy life.
H.E. Rajesh Vaishnaw is the High Commissioner of India to Malta.