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International Yoga Day Gets Major Support from EU, Over 130 Countries

in World News, YD News
narendra-modi-yoga

Prim Minister Modi lotusing it up.

 Things are looking good for International Yoga Day becoming a real global holiday pretty soon. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeing a swarm of support from the European Union (EU) as well as over 130 countries, including the US, Canada and China, who have signed up for a co-sponsorship of the global holiday.

“EU supports your initiative for a Yoga Day,” the EU President Herman Von Rompuy told Prime Minister Modi during the G20 Summit. A draft resolution called the  ‘L Document’, which outlines the holiday was presented to the UN General Assembly, will be up for adoption December 10.

When will International Yoga Day occur? June 21 is the proposed date, which appropriately coincides with global events that already happen around that time of year in celebration of the summer solstice.

While there are no details yet as to how this holiday should be celebrated, or if there’s room for partner stunts, we’re pretty sure there will be some folks in the west pretty fired up about this and already picking out their IYD outfits.

Modi had introduced his idea for International Yoga Day in his speech before the U.N. General Assembly in September where he said that yoga is “India’s gift to the world” and even suggested that it could help fight 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 in his speech.

They’re really not wasting any time either. India recently announced their new Yoga and Ayurveda Ministry which will oversee and promote alternative health systems native to ancient Indian traditions. In other words, India’s taking back their yoga, bitches.

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9 comments… add one
  • Tim

    Hi,
    What benefits you gets from doing Yoga beside waste time sitting?

    Thanks

  • Asananine

    Stewart, I note that you have not provided a source for your initial quote. In keeping with your predilection for Nazi references, here’s one I believe you resemble: Joseph Goebbels.

  • paul

    fyi, mr. s. has been writing against yoga for years from his mra/dominionist/statist worldview mash, yes some of the things he says have insight, but mostly he writes only to kvetch about how awful yoga and women are. fun to see indian politics making it into the mix.

    international yoga day sounds cool; may it be a day of mauna yoga.

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