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Celebration of 7th International Day of Yoga

Posted on: June 20, 2021 | Back | Print

Embassy of India, Antananarivo 
Press Release


The Embassy of India Antananarivo celebrated the 7th International Day of Yoga on 20th June 2021.The event was hosted by the Ambassador of India to Madagascar and Comoros Shri Abhay Kumar. The theme for this year’s International Day of Yoga is “Yoga for Wellness” which is particularly relevant in the current context of COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world. 

The event was attended by several international diplomats including H.E. Usama Saeed Mahmoud Khalil, Ambassador of Egypt, UNICEF Representative in Madagascar Mr. Michele Saint Lot and well known Malagasy singer and celebrity Ms Stephanie, as well as ITEC, and ICCR alumni and prominent members of the Indian Community in Madagascar.

The celebration started with Ambassador’s address to the guests highlighting the relevance of the International Day of Yoga and role of Yoga in living a healthy life.  Speaking on the occasion Ambassador Abhay Kumar said —“We live in a world which brings us stress in everyday life and Yoga, I can say with certainty being a practitioner of Yoga, reduces stress and brings balance in our lives.”

The speech was followed by an hour long Yoga session conducted by Mrs. Yvonne Radjibaly from Heartfulness Yoga and Meditation.

Earlier, in a special video message, H.E. Prof. RAKOTOVAO Hanitrala Jean Louis, Hon’ble Health Minister of Madagascar highlighted the importance of yoga saying—“Yoga, one of the six  schools of Vedic Indian philosophy, aims at unifying the physical, psychic and spiritual aspects of a human being through meditation, asceticism and bodily exercises. Also, this discipline can be valued thanks to its benefits during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic when our well-being is being severely tested.”  He is also participating in the 4th International Yoga Conference titled UBUNTU hosted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations on 21-22 June 2021. The conference will focus on finding commonalities between Indian and African traditions and how Yoga and African Indigenous Knowledge and Healing Systems can be used for the overall wellbeing of mankind. 

International Day of Yoga was also celebrated in Comoros at the hotel Retaj by the prominent members of Indian community. 

The President of the Union of Comoros H. E. Azali Assoumani congratulated India on the occasion of International Day of Yoga saying -"On International Yoga Day today, I would like to join the international community in wishing President of India, H.E. Shri Ram Nath Kovind, every success in his endeavours,  and happiness, health, prosperity to the  people of India. I express my sincere wish that India emerges soon from the Covid-19 health crisis and continues to make its invaluable contribution to the World." 

21 June 2021 marks the 7th year of International Yoga Day celebrations since the UNGA passed a resolution in December 2014 declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga. The fact that 175 countries co-sponsored the resolution demonstrates that a vast majority of the world's nations recognize the importance of Yoga for the well-being of the body, mind and soul, and our coexistence in harmony with nature.

The Embassy has been carrying out a series of online Yoga sessions since 15th June 2021 on its official social media channels to mark the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga 2021.