International Day of Yoga Information, History, Theme

June 21 was declared as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 2014. Yoga, a 6,000 year-old physical, mental and spiritual practice having its origin in India, aims to transform the body and the mind.

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi declared that there will be an official website mea.gov.in/idy.htm for this, and it will be maintained by the Ministry of External Affairs of Govt. of India.

International Day of Yoga Information

The declaration of this day came after the call for the adoption of 21 June as World Yoga Day by PM Narendra Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014 wherein he stated:

“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 within yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting a World Yoga Day.”

Narendra Modi further stated that “Yoga 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.” In suggesting June 21, which is the Summer Solstice, as the Yoga Day, Narendra Modi had said that the date is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance in many parts of the world.

From the perspective of yoga, the Summer Solstice marks the transition to Dakshinayana. The first full moon after Summer Solstice is known as Guru Poornima. According to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, in the yogic lore, the first transmission of yoga by Shiva, the first Guru, is said to have begun on this day. Dakshinayana is also considered a time when there is natural support for those pursuing spiritual practices. Govind Gurbani Yog Guru / Vice President of Rajasthan Swasthya Yog Parishad Jaipur India informed that on 21 June fifty thousand followers of Yoga will perform Yoga in Rajasthan.

History:

The word ‘yoga’ is derived from Sanskrit and means ‘to join / to unite’. On 11 December, 2014, United Nations General Assembly declared to celebrate International Day of Yoga on 21st June every year by resolution 69/131. It was declared by the call of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he addressed United Nations General Assembly on 27 September, 2014 and asks for adopting 21st June as an International Yoga Day to get all the benefits of yoga to the people around the world. No doubt in Indian history, the declaration of International Day of Yoga is a great and proud moment.

Finally, it was declared on 11 December, 2014 by the United Nations General Assembly. First time in history it happened that the initiative of any country has been proposed and implemented by the UN within 90 days. Sam Kutesa, President of UN General Assembly, announced to celebrate the International Yoga Day on June 21 and more than 170 countries supported the Yoga Day proposal. From this it came to light that people also know about the benefits of yoga, some of which are visible and some are invisible.

Theme:

This year i.e. 2024 marks the 10th International Day of Yoga with the theme “Yoga for Self and Society.” Yoga, a transformative practice, represents the harmony of mind and body, the balance between thought and action, and the unity of restraint and fulfillment. It integrates the body, mind, spirit, and soul, offering a holistic approach to health and well-being that brings peace to our hectic lives. Its power to transform is what we celebrate on this special day.