Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who began his three-day visit to the United States on Monday, will lead foreign dignitaries and bureaucrats in a session for International Yoga Day on Wednesday at the United Nations Secretariat in New York. Yoga, an ancient discipline first practised by Hindu sages, is now one of India’s most successful cultural exports after Bollywood.
And it’s become a piece of India’s diplomacy. Nine years ago, India successfully convinced the United Nations to designate June 21 as International Yoga Day. Since then, Modi has harnessed yoga as a cultural soft power to stretch his nation’s diplomatic reach and flex his country’s rising place in the world. Now, Modi is guiding leaders from around the world in the practice of yoga to promote its benefits as part of his three-day visit to the US.
“Yoga strengthens such feelings, expands the inner vision, and connects us with that consciousness which makes us feel the unity of the living being giving a basis of love for the living being,” the PM said.
Sharing my message on International Day of Yoga. https://t.co/4tGLQ7Jolo
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2023
The UN proclaimed June 21 as International Day of Yoga by passing a resolution on December 11, 2014 during the 69th session of the General Assembly. At the session, PM Modi had said, “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition…. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”
