Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a yoga session for the first time at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, US on June 21, reported PTI. The event will mark the 9th edition of the International Day of Yoga to be celebrated on June 21. The Indian-American community is also preparing for a cultural extravaganza for PM Modi on his arrival in the American Capital from New York City after leading the yoga session. 


The UN had proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014. The occasion aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practising yoga.  


Prime Minister Modi is visiting the US from June 21-24 at the invitation of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. They will host Modi at a state dinner on June 22. The visit also includes an address to the Joint Session of the Congress on June 22. 


“On the occasion of the 9th International Day of Yoga, the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations cordially invites you to join a Yoga session led by H. E. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,” an advisory for the event said, reported PTI. 


In a historic moment, nine years after Prime Minister Modi first proposed from the UN General Assembly podium to mark International Yoga Day as an annual commemoration, the Indian leader will for the first time be at the UN Headquarters to lead the yoga session. 


As per PTI, the session will run from 8 am - 9 am on June 21 at the expansive North Lawn in the UN Headquarters. A bust of Mahatma Gandhi, a gift from India to the UN, was installed here in December last year during the country’s Presidency of the UN Security Council. 


Top UN officials, ambassadors, envoys, delegates from Member States as well as prominent members of the global and diaspora community are expected to attend the historic occasion. The advisory encourages guests and attendees to wear Yoga-friendly attire for the special session and added that Yoga mats will be provided during the session, the report said. 


“Welcome to take it home as a souvenir,” it said. 


“I am looking forward to participating in the 9th International Day of Yoga celebrations @UN with Prime Minister @NarendraModi at the UNHQ North Lawn next week,” President of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly Csaba Korosi said in a tweet Thursday. 






Notably, the first International Day of Yoga was commemorated in 2015 and has since then been marked with several sessions and events highlighting the importance and universal appeal of Yoga at the UN, Times Square and iconic locations across the world. 


India had proposed the draft UNGA resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga which endorsed by a record 175 member states, PTI added in report. 


The proposal was first introduced by Prime Minister Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly, in which he said: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action ... a holistic approach (that) is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.”  


According to PTI, the resolution notes “the importance of individuals and populations making healthier choices and following lifestyle patterns that foster good health.”  


On this, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has also asked its member states to help their citizens reduce physical inactivity, which is among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide. The UN added that WHO said that inactivity is a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. 


After the Yoga event on June 21, PM Modi will address an invitation-only gathering of diaspora leaders from across the US at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington on June 23. 


According to PTI, over 160 artists are rehearsing for the past week to present around 25 cultural programmes representing 15 Indian states. The report said that most of them are dances, songs and musicals reflecting the rich cultural diversity of India. 


The performance would be staged at the historic Freedom Plaza near the White House in front of the Willard Hotel.