9th edition of International Day of Yoga 2023 celebrated across the globe with increased mass participation

The 9^th edition of International Day of Yoga 2023 was successfully celebrated on a much larger scale and witnessed new initiatives which were special for this year’s IDY. The main National event at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh saw the enthusiastic participation of more than 15,000 people, who participated in the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) demonstration in the presence of  Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar.

On this occasion, Governor of Madhya Pradesh Shri Mangubhai Patel, Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ayush & Ministry of Ports Shipping & Waterways, Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhai, Union Minister of State for Ayush and Women & Child Development, Cabinet Ministers, MPs of Madhya Pradesh, Kamlesh D. Patel, President, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, ministers of Government of MP and officials of Ministry of Ayush were also present. 

Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar in his address said that it is a matter of great satisfaction that due to the efforts of our Prime Minister, Yoga has now become a global festival. Yoga is not only for any individual but for the whole of humanity. He said that Yoga has also taken an economic form and has positively impacted it. Our trained Yoga teachers are working all over the world and the demand for Yoga teachers is increasing.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the nation through a video message and said he is currently touring the United States of America due to various commitments, unlike previous occasions of Yoga Day when he was present at every edition of the International Day of Yoga celebration. However, this year he will lead an IDY event at the UN headquarters in New York.

Yoga has contributed to creating a healthy and powerful society where collective energy is propelling India’s future –Prime Minister  Shri Narendra Modi  

Prime Minister added that One acquires health, vigour and strength through Yoga and those who have been regularly involved in this practice over the years have felt its energy. The importance of good health at the individual as well as the family level is very important. Yoga creates a healthy and powerful society where the collective energy is much more. Campaigns like Swachh Bharat and Startup India that have helped in building a self-reliant nation and restoring the cultural identity of the country and the country and its youth have contributed a lot to this energy. Today the minds of the country have changed leading to a change in people and their lives.

Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ayush & Ministry of Ports Shipping & Waterways said, “Under the farsighted and exemplary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, International Day of Yoga 2023 is poised to firmly implant ethos of Yoga and Indian traditions upon national and international communities. It will further amplify the message of universal well-being at a global level.”

Governor of Madhya Pradesh Shri Mangubhai Patel said in his address “Yoga is very relevant for today’s young generation. Through the benefits of practising Yoga, they will be able to face future challenges well.”   

On this occasion, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan made an important announcement that his government will include Yoga in the school curriculum and implement it in all schools of Madhya Pradesh.   

International Day of Yoga 2023 further going to amplify the message of universal well-being at a global level – Shri Sarbananda Sonowal

The highlight of the 9th International Day of Yoga was the unique concept of the creation of the Ocean Ring of Yoga, which was envisaged as a coordinated yoga demonstration in which Indian naval ships stationed at different ports around the world and countries with which India has maritime cooperation and merchant shipping agreements participated in the CYP demonstration.

Nearly 3500 naval personnel onboard 19 Indian Naval ships travelled over 35,000 Km as ambassadors of Yoga in both national and international waters. This includes over 2400 personnel on 11 IN ships at foreign ports/international waters. Notably, IDY was celebrated onboard ships of several foreign Navies in concert with our overseas Missions, involving over 1200 foreign Navy personnel.   

Yoga from the Arctic to Antarctica was another facet of this year’s IDY where the Yoga demonstration was organized in countries falling in and around the Prime Meridian line and on North Pole and South Pole regions. Scientists/Researches at India’s research bases in the Arctic and Antarctica namely Himadri and Bharati also participated in the Yoga demonstration. Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force along with ITBP, BSF, and BRO made a chain of Yoga demonstrations in unison named Yoga Bharatmala. Similarly, a yoga demonstration along the Indian coastline and islands termed Yoga Sagarmala was also formed.

For engaging with rural communities Ministry of Ayush had elaborately planned to spread the message of “Har Aangan Yoga”. Yoga demonstration was organized at Panchayats, Anganwadi, Health and Wellness Centres, and schools, around 2 lakhs common service centres, Ayush Gram Unit and location around Amrit Sarovar.

The International Day of Yoga was celebrated with a whole government approach, all the key ministries of the Government of India, National and International leading Yoga institutes & organizations and other stakeholders participated in the IDY. Along with these Indian missions and embassies, UN member states and the interim office of WHO-GCTM in Jamnagar also organized events to celebrate the International Day of Yoga.    

Disclaimer: This is an official press release by pib.