50 million across 132 countries have a day out with Art of Living yoga

 

From conflict-ridden areas to corporate skyscrapers to the devotional space, yoga has brought together the whole world in a spirit of unity never seen before.

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June 21, 2015
Bengaluru, India

From conflict-ridden areas to corporate skyscrapers to the devotional space, yoga has brought together the whole world in a spirit of unity never seen before. From delivering a glimpse of inner peace to over 3700 people in the capital city of the conflict-ridden Manipur to Mumbaikars – who performed yoga at the Marine Drive undeterred by the rain; From 7000 Art of Living teachers & volunteers joining the Prime Minister at Rajpath to taking this ancient practice to the Indo-pak border at Hussainiwala: The Art of Living marked the celebrations with unique events across the globe, reinforcing that yoga is truly universal.

While India took the lead, The Art of Living volunteers from 132 countries across the globe marked the first-ever International Yoga day with equal fervor. As Paris added a unique twist to the day by practicing yoga on boats across the river Seine; Nepal rose with the world to yoga in front of their iconic Pashupatinath temple. China too joined in with over 500 students exploring yoga at the Peking university. Many countries like Russia, South America, UAE, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Kuwait, Jordan and Sri Lanka contributed with their enthusiastic participation. Multiple cities in Russia, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia took to celebrating the day with a lot of zeal and passion.

“Yoga is something that can unite people across the globe, across nations, across religious divides. Everyone can come together with the spirit of togetherness, belongingness. Yoga is not just about asanas only, it’s a state of mind where you have a sense of belongingness, sense of responsibility for the whole planet, and a sense of connectivity and harmony. This is one thing which can unite and bring solace to people across the world. What we need is humanness and humanness can blossom when people are free from stress and tension and depression,” says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art of Living who has been working for the spread of yoga since 35 years.

As the keynote speaker, Gurudev will preside over the UN celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at the UN headquarters in New York.
India’s minister for external affairs, Sushma Swaraj, UN Secretary General, Ban-ki-Moon will also be present at the event.
In a separate event later today, Gurudev will also address 5500 New Yorkers at the Lincoln center on the topic: ‘Yoga – a New Dimension’

The embracing of yoga around the world is a warm testimony to yoga’s unique international phenomenon.

INDIA EVENTS

Partial listing

• About 7000 from The Art of Living will participate in the historic event with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajpath
• About 1000 Mumbaikars will do yoga at their city’s landmark, Marine Drive in an event organized by The Art of Living (subject to weather)
• Noida stadium will witness about 1,000 people do Yoga on 21st June.
• 800 policemen are to do Yoga with The Art of Living at Rajasthan Police Academy
• 2000 inmates of the Central Jail of Varanasi will be doing Yoga conducted by The Art of Living.
• Among many events by The Art of Living in Nagpur, one of them will witness the heads of the Panchayat and about 5000 farmers perform Yoga together.
• In Jharkhand, inmates of all 26 jails of the state will be a part of the worldwide celebrations of Yoga by The Art of Living. There will be a separate event for the police personnel.
• The Art of Living and The City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO), in collaboration, are organizing a Yoga and Meditation event for an estimated 5000 people.
• The Ridge in Shimla, famous as a tourist spot, will witness hundreds to Yoga on 21st June in an AOL organized event. Union Human Resource Development Smriti Irani will grace the occassion.
• The Art of Living chapter of Surat district along with the government authorities are expecting more than 3 lakh people at their Yoga events in 102 locations.
• After Delhi, Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, will spectator to 25,000 people do Yoga along with Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh.
• In Bengaluru, Art of Living is conducting yoga programs at 19 venues where 18,000 people are expected to participate, also at Bangalore Central Jail with an expected participation of 500 men prisoners and 70 women prisoners
• At the Air Force Station in Bengaluru, around 4,500 Air Force personnel will be led in yoga by The Art of Living.
• In Himachal Pradesh, an estimated 47,000 people will be doing Yoga at 32 locations in 11 cities in events organized by Art of Living.

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Partial listing

• The President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, will grace The Art of Living’s Yoga celebrations in the country.
• The President of Fiji, Epeli Nailatikau, will grace The Art of Living’s Yoga celebrations.
• In Paris, 120 Art of Living enthusiasts will do Yoga on a boat on the river Seine.
• 500 students will explore Yoga in Peking University in Beijing, China in an Art of Living-organized event.
• In Nigeria, the National Stadium in Lagos will witness hundreds do Yoga in an event organized by The Art of Living, United Nations, Nigeria Olympic Committee and Sewa International.
• Oman will witness a Yoga event organized by The Art of Living in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Indian Embassy.
• The Art of Living is organizing events at two major landmarks – Wat Onalum & Angkor Wat of the country, Cambodia.
• In Berlin, Germany, people will rise in Yoga at the iconic Brandenburg Gate at an Art of Living-organized event.
• In the neighboring Myanmar, an estimated 10,000 will participate in the worldwide Yoga celebrations at the Yangon Thuwana Stadium.
• In Dubai, thousands will do Yoga in an Art of Living-organized event where the ace Indian boxer, Mary Kom would be present.
• Recovering from the recent earthquake tragedy, Nepal also rose with the world in Yoga and performed demonstrations in front of their iconic Pashupatinath Temple in an event by The Art of Living.
• 8 countries of South America are participating in the worldwide Yoga celebrations of The Art of Living Foundation.
• The smaller countries of North America such as Cuba, Dominican Republic Panama, Costa Rica and others are joining the USA (100+ cities participating) and Canada.
• Apart from India, 26 countries are participating in Asia – Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, China, Japan, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh among others.
• Yoga events in about 50 cities in Russia
• 26 countries in Europe – United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy, Lithuania, Estonia, Macedonia, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, and Sint Maarten along with others.
• In the continent of Africa, 16 countries are participating like Morocco, Egypt, Botswana, Ethiopia, South Africa, Rawanda, Uganda and others.

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