Credit: Embassy of India, Brussels
The Embassy of India to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU has announced that ten cities in Belgium and Luxembourg will organise events ahead of the tenth anniversary of the International Day of Yoga.
The International Day of Yoga is observed worldwide, annually on 21 June. Ten cities in Belgium and Luxembourg will mark the occasion this year for a week from 16 to 23 June 2024, namely: Brussels, Antwerp, Lasne, Bruges, Leuven, Bertem, Ghent, Enghien, Lac de Bambois and Luxembourg City, the Embassy noted.
Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India and which has been practised there for thousands of years. The word “yoga” derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolising the union of body and awareness.
Recognising the universal appeal of yoga, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga by resolution 69/131, endorsed by a record 175 member states. The idea of dedicating a day to yoga was proposed by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. He spoke about the benefits of yoga and suggested that a day should be dedicated to it to spread awareness about its benefits to people all over the world, the Embassy of India recalled.
Soon thereafter, yoga was inscribed on the Representative List of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016. In 2021, the Ministry of Ayush of the Government of India and the World Health Organization (WHO) jointly launched a project, WHO mYoga, a mobile app on “Yoga Protocol for General Wellness” in consultation with international experts.
Yoga is a practice of awareness, enabling individuals to cultivate a deeper consciousness of their body, mind and environment, the Embassy added. The challenges posed by modern lifestyle disorders as well as non-communicable lifestyle diseases, including common disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes and mental health conditions, can be tackled by integrating yoga into our daily lives, the Embassy concluded.
Luxembourg will celebrate the International Day of Yoga on 16 June 2024, with activities organised by the Indian Association Luxembourg, at the Abbaye de Neumünster (neimënster) from 09:30, ahead of the official day.
