A 10-Day Yoga Mahotsav celebrating the 10th International Day of Yoga (IDY) was launched at Colombo National Museum. The event was celebrated under this year’s IDY theme ‘Yoga for Women Empowerment’ with over 200 students participating from different schools in Colombo.
Yoga Mahotsav 2024 is being organised by Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural arm of High Commission of India, Colombo in collaboration with about 30 organisations of Sri Lanka from 13th to 22nd of June 2024.
Day-II of the Yoga Mahotsav on the focus area ‘Yoga for Health’ organised on 14 June at Mc Heyzer Stadium, Trincomalee in collaboration with the Eastern Province Tourism Bureau. Yoga Mahotsav will proceed under various focus areas, such as Yoga for Family, Yoga with Spirituality, Yoga for Humanity, Yoga for Well-being, Yoga for Ayurveda, Yoga for Peace, Yoga for Harmonyin different iconic locations across the country. The Mahotsav will conclude with a grand event at Galle Face Green in Colombo on 22 June.
As a prelude to IDY, approximately 100 yoga events will be organized across Sri Lanka by the High Commission of India and its posts in Hambantota, Kandy and Jaffna. A series of these will be organized in the backdrop of iconic locations in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism and Lands, Government of Sri Lanka.
In December 2014, the United Nations declared 21 June as the International Day of Yoga through resolution 69/31, recognizing yoga’s holistic approach to well-being and its ability to provide a sanctuary from modern life’s stresses. Since then, millions of yoga practitioners worldwide celebrate IDY on 21 June each year. Yoga is an ancient practice that harmonizes mind, body, and spirit through physical postures, breath control, and meditation. It fosters self-discovery, inner peace, balance, flexibility, strength, mental clarity, emotional stability, and spiritual awakening.