50 nations, including China and US, back Modi's call for International Yoga Day
[ Yoga is enjoying rising popularity in the United States and has now become a multi-billion dollar business.
NEW DELHI: One of PM Narendra Modi's first global imprints could come soon with the fructification of his proposal - which he announced in his UNGA speech — for an International Day of Yoga. As many as 50 countries - US, Canada and China most recently — have signed up for co-sponsorship of a draft resolution which India's UN mission is preparing for declaring June 21 as international Yoga day.
The resolution will be submitted soon to the UN secretariat with the government looking to aggressively push for its adoption before the end of this year. Perhaps India's most significant export to the world, the ancient art of Yoga is fast taking centre-stage in Modi's soft power push.
The list of co-sponsors includes Asian heavyweights China, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea and also South Africa and Nigeria in Africa. Neighbours such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka were amongst the earliest to sign on. Latin American giants Brazil and Argentina too have committed support.
With USA and Canada joining recently, the EU members are expected to also join as co-sponsors soon in what, according to official sources, is turning out to be a broad-based coalition of support that has countries as disparate as Iran and Cuba on board.
READ ALSO: Narendra Modi calls for International Yoga Day
Following Modi's call for an International Yoga Day in New York on September 26, the Indian Mission to UN has gone about seeking support for the PM's proposal in an exercise being directly monitored by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj.
The resolution, couched in terms of building better and healthier lifestyle patterns, is expected to be submitted to the UN Secretariat soon.
"The goal is to then step up outreach efforts to other countries in November so as to garner overwhelming support for adoption before the end of the year, signalling that delivery is an important ingredient of PM's foreign policy announcements," said a source.
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(People take part in a group yoga practice in Times Square. Reuters file photo.)
Yoga has invariably found mention in Modi's exchanges with important world leaders including with President Obama. He explained the benefits of Yoga to Obama over their White House dinner, which saw Modi sipping only on warm water as he was fasting, as the president expressed admiration for Modi's "energy and vigour". Modi also gifted a book on Yoga to his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.
Calling for a change in lifestyle and for creating consciousness, Modi in his UNGA speech said Yoga could even help deal with climate change.
"Yoga is an invaluable gift of our ancient tradition. 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. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature," he said.The resolution will be submitted soon to the UN secretariat with the government looking to aggressively push for its adoption before the end of this year. Perhaps India's most significant export to the world, the ancient art of Yoga is fast taking centre-stage in Modi's soft power push.
The list of co-sponsors includes Asian heavyweights China, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea and also South Africa and Nigeria in Africa. Neighbours such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka were amongst the earliest to sign on. Latin American giants Brazil and Argentina too have committed support.
With USA and Canada joining recently, the EU members are expected to also join as co-sponsors soon in what, according to official sources, is turning out to be a broad-based coalition of support that has countries as disparate as Iran and Cuba on board.
READ ALSO: Narendra Modi calls for International Yoga Day
Following Modi's call for an International Yoga Day in New York on September 26, the Indian Mission to UN has gone about seeking support for the PM's proposal in an exercise being directly monitored by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj.
The resolution, couched in terms of building better and healthier lifestyle patterns, is expected to be submitted to the UN Secretariat soon.
"The goal is to then step up outreach efforts to other countries in November so as to garner overwhelming support for adoption before the end of the year, signalling that delivery is an important ingredient of PM's foreign policy announcements," said a source.
(People take part in a group yoga practice in Times Square. Reuters file photo.)
Yoga has invariably found mention in Modi's exchanges with important world leaders including with President Obama. He explained the benefits of Yoga to Obama over their White House dinner, which saw Modi sipping only on warm water as he was fasting, as the president expressed admiration for Modi's "energy and vigour". Modi also gifted a book on Yoga to his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.
Calling for a change in lifestyle and for creating consciousness, Modi in his UNGA speech said Yoga could even help deal with climate change.
http://m.timesofindia.com/india/50-nations-including-China-and-US-back-Modis-call-for-International-Yoga-Day/articleshow/44989225.cms
Narendra Modi calls for International Yoga Day
NEW YORK: Yoga got a strong leg up on the world stage when Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for observing an International Yoga Day, describing the ancient science as "India's gift to the world."Modi's unexpected reference to yoga during in his UN General Assembly speech came when he was talking about climate change and going back to basics. Yoga is not just about fitness or exercise, it is about changing one's lifestyle, Modi said, plugging for ancient practice that was introduced to the west by Modi's spiritual inspiration, Swami Vivekananda.
Yoga is enjoying rising popularity in the United States and has now become a multi-billion dollar business, but its link to India is often understated. Modi's public reference on the world stage to India's gift is possible meant to remind international audience of this link. Some organizations have been celebrating World Yoga Day since 2007 (the next one is on February 22, 2015), but it has no official sanction.
READ ALSO: At UNGA, PM Modi rebukes Pakistan for its Kashmir obsession
(People practice yoga in Times Square as part of a Summer Solstice celebration in New York on June 21, 2014. Photo: Reuters)In previous interviews, Modi has said he is fortunate to have been introduced to the world of yoga and pranayama at a young age and it helps him synchronize the heart, mind, and body.
India's Prime Minister has been keeping a nine-day Navratri fast during which time he subsists only on a liquid diet, mostly lemon juice, but he showed no sign of fatigue during his 30-minute speech that was delivered in a strong voice, without once pausing to even sip water. New York City itself is something of a yoga capital in the US, with enthusiasts promoting the science in public places such as Times Square and Central Park.
