During his first speech in at the UN General Assembly on September 27, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed an International Yoga Day.
How Yoga Influences Climate Change Awareness
As we previously reported, Modi promoted yoga as a positive contributing factor in how the world can tackle climate change, saying, “By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change.”
In response to this suggestion, 50 countries, including the U.S., China, and Canada, have announced their intention to co-sponsor a draft resolution prepared by India’s UN mission that would formally declare June 21 as International Yoga Day, according to OneIndia News.
EU members are expected to join soon, reports OneIndia, adding their names to a list that already includes China, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, South Africa, Nigeria, Brazil, and Argentina.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka were reportedly among the earliest countries to sign on to the draft resolution.
A Harmony Between Man and Nature
Once the resolution is submitted to the UN secretariat, the Indian government hopes it will be put into effect before the end of the year. According to the Times of India, outreach efforts to other countries will be “stepped up” in November in order to gain even more support for the proposal.
“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,” Modi said during his UN speech.
“It [!yoga!] is not about exercise, but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world, and the nature.” – Narendra Modi
There’s no word on what International Yoga Day would entail, but it might be similar to World Yoga Day, which has unofficially existed since 2007 and involves a 24-hour yoga marathon held around the world.
What do you think? What would be the best way to celebrate International Yoga Day, and would it bring more awareness to the issue of climate change?
Image credit: Whoa.in / Yogi: India PM Narendra Modi
