Press release International Day of Yoga 2021 Celebrations

International Day of Yoga 2021 Celebrations

Assistant High Commission of India, Kandy

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PRESS RELEASE

20th June, 2021

Seventh International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2021 was celebrated by Assistant High Commission of India in Kandy on 20th June, 2021 through online events organized in conjunction with local government, as well as cultural and educational institutions within the jurisdiction of the Post.Stressing on the theme of “YogaForWellness,”two virtual events were organized to celebrate the IDY 2021 withmore than 100 participants along with family members from across the island participating in both events.

The event commenced with welcoming message by Assistant High Commissioner Mr. Rakesh Natrajfollowed by greetings shared by Hon’ble Governor of Central Province Mr. Lalith U. Gamage focusing on the importance of Yoga for physical and mental health during the testing times of CoVID-19 pandemic. This was followed by a one-hourlive yoga session focusing on basic yoga asanas,pranayamaand meditation. The eventconcluded with a short cultural performance,while videos of volunteers performing Yoga asanas at iconic locations (Bahirawakanda temple,Peradeniya University etc.) was also screened. Winners of IDY Video and Quiz contests held over past fortnight were announced.

In the evening of 20 June, the second virtual International Yoga Day event in collaboration with Alliance Francaise de Kandy (AFK) was held. The event saw participation from Sri Lanka, France and India. It started withbrief messages of welcome by Mr. Raakesh Natraj, Assistant High Commissioner, and Ms. Sarah TOUCAS, Director AFK. Their messages focused upon the international reach of Yoga and its importance to wellbeing, especially during CoVID times. The bilingual yoga session (English & French) lasted for more than one hour and included important Asanas, meditations and breathing practices. It was followed by Q&A session with the participants.

In the lead up to the IDYcelebrations, Assistant High Commission of India in Kandy ran an information and publicity campaign to raise awareness about Yoga, with famous celebrities across the island sharing their experiences about Yoga and how Yoga has positively contributed to their life. Short videos of celebrities as well as Yoga volunteers performing yoga at iconic locations were shared on social media platforms.

This year’s International Day of Yoga celebrationswere conducted virtually keeping in mind the health and travel restrictionsin place due to the CoVID-19 situation. All CoVID-19 related guidelines and protocols were adhered to strictly.

Snippets of the event can be found here: https://we.tl/t-lNAzDqFr6a?src=dnl as well as on Social Media accounts of the Assistant High Commission of India in Kandy.

#YogaForWellness   #BeWithYogaBeAtHome     #InternationalDayOfYoga2021

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