Yoga Day observed at United Nations and Times Square with mass participation
Eminent physician and wellness author Deepak Chopra led a guided meditation session at the United Nations headquarters on Friday evening as part of the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations, hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations.
Colourful yoga mats lined the North Lawns of the UN headquarters, where over 1,200 participants—including diplomats, UN officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and the Indian diaspora—gathered to take part in the event.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P. Harish, in his welcome address, said this year's theme—'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'—draws from the approach introduced during India's G20 presidency in 2023.
'The theme underscores the vital truth that our personal wellness and planetary wellness are inseparably linked. In caring for ourselves, we begin to care for Earth, reflecting the enduring Indian ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', or the whole world is one family,' Mr. Harish said.
Highlighting the relevance of yoga amidst rising stress, lifestyle disorders, and mental health challenges, he added that the practice 'offers a steady, time-tested path that helps one find calm within ourselves and live more peacefully within ourselves and with those around us.'
Mr. Chopra, who led a special meditation session during the event, concluded by observing, 'As has been said many times before, God's language is silence. Everything else is poor translation. Even the guided meditation, poor translation,' drawing applause from the audience.
The event also featured a Common Yoga Protocol session and an advanced demonstration of yoga, accompanied by music, conducted by the Art of Living Foundation.
Earlier in the day, the Consulate General of India in New York, in partnership with the Times Square Alliance, organised a separate celebration at Times Square. Actor Anupam Kher attended the day-long celebration, known as 'Solstice at Times Square,' which featured seven yoga sessions and attracted around 10,000 participants from various nationalities.
Consul General of India in New York, Binaya Pradhan, highlighted the multifaceted benefits of yoga, calling it a powerful tool for physical health, spiritual well-being, and harmony with nature. Mr. Kher, speaking at the event, said, 'From the stillness of a single breath rises the strength to heal the whole world.'
The Consulate is also holding a month-long celebration of Yoga Day across the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Connecticut, witnessing widespread participation.
In December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution was proposed by India and supported by a record 175 member states, recognising the universal appeal of the practice.
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