From Colombo to Kabul and Nairobi to New York, high-profile politicians and the hoi polloi came out in large numbers to showcase their yoga postures and send a message of unity on the occasion of the fifth International Yoga Day on Friday.
If President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena urged everyone to practice yoga just like him, thousands of people including Indian expats celebrated Yoga Day in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, with a message of peace and harmony.
Together all practiced yoga and essence of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam was deeply felt. #IDY2019 #ZindagiRaheKhush @IndianDiplomacy @navdeepsuri @moayush @ICCR_Delhi pic.twitter.com/iDlqbKBEMA
— India in UAE (@IndembAbuDhabi) June 20, 2019
In Sri Lanka, several events are being organised to mark the International Day of Yoga.
We're keeping it #AerieREAL thanks to @Aerie's very own @heyitsme_CG, who's leading the 11:30am class. Join us now on the Broadway Plazas for an hour of upbeat, high energy yoga & plenty of self love. #SolsticeTSq pic.twitter.com/b1CpFJucF4
— Times Square (@TimesSquareNYC) June 21, 2019
Hundreds of students along with provincial governor Suren Raghavan attended a Yoga programme in Tamil-majority Northern Province. The participants performed several yoga asanas under the supervision of trained Yoga gurus.
🇮🇳 India Myanmar 🇲🇲
— India in Myanmar (@IndiainMyanmar) June 21, 2019
21 June || #YogaDay2019
Message on International Day of Yoga: Peace Peace Peace pic.twitter.com/uN0Y36Zr3q
"I compliment my friend @narendramodi for his efforts at bringing our common heritage of Yoga to the international stage. I urge all to practice yoga like me," Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena tweeted on Friday.
Yoga Day was also celebrated in countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Israel, Bhutan, Uzbekistan, Germany and Singapore, among others.
IDY 2019: Glimpses of #YogaDay2019 celebration by @IndianEmbRiyadh held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia @IndianDiplomacy @PIB_India @DDNewsLive @MEAIndia @drausaf @CGIJeddah @moayush pic.twitter.com/H3o0E41Ziw
— India in SaudiArabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) June 20, 2019
"At an excellent initiative of Mr. Atiqul Islam, Mayor of #Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), a yoga session was conducted at #Uttara park today," the High Commission of India in Bangladesh tweeted.
"Yoga in front of #White House #YogaDay2019," tweeted the Indian Embassy in Washington.
At an event in Beijing, China Indian Ambassador Vikram Misri and diplomats from other countries, including Nepal's envoy to China, preformed various poses of yoga with hundred of people.
🇮🇳#IDY2019🇮🇳
— India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) June 21, 2019
🔻IDY2019 celebrated at #Dhaka with around 7000 yoga enthusiasts!!
🔸H.E. @AKAbdulMomen, Foreign Minister, H.E. Md. Nurul Islam Sujon, Railways Minister & H.E. Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Minister of State for Shipping participated.#InternationalDayOfYoga, #YogaDay pic.twitter.com/IsI1dGWZEZ
"Yoga represents aspirations of the people from India and China... it is beneficial to work together in spirit of 'friendship and cooperation'," Misri said.
In Nepal, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli led the fifth International Yoga Day celebrations attended by fitness enthusiasts in the country's capital on Friday.
On the occasion, a grand procession was organised from Ratna Park in central Kathmandu to City Hall (Rashtriya Sabha Griha).
Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty and others from @IndiainNewYork joined us at #SolsticeTSq not only to talk about #InternationalDayofYoga, but also to enjoy the midday class! pic.twitter.com/X0vdmp8F6u
— Times Square (@TimesSquareNYC) June 21, 2019
Pics of #IDY2019 events organized at the University of Tsukuba @UofTsukuba #Japan in association with @IndianEmbTokyo. #Yogaforall #ヨガ #国際ヨガの日 #ZindagiRaheKhush #YogaDay2019 pic.twitter.com/dz6shSJuW3
— India in Japanインド大使館 (@IndianEmbTokyo) June 21, 2019
A thousand strong at the #IndiaHouse!
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) June 21, 2019
Yogis from all over Beijing came together to celebrate the #Yoga way of life. @VikramMisri @IndianDiplomacy @moayush @MEAIndia #InternationalDayOfYoga #YogaDay #योगदिवस #अंतर्राष्ट्रीययोगदिवस #YogaDay2019 pic.twitter.com/vZHdt09fXK
Some more photos of the special event organized on the banks of the Zhujiang River to celebrate the #InternationalDayOfYoga in Guangzhou today.#YogaDay #योगदिवस #अंतर्राष्ट्रीययोगदिवस #YogaDay2019 pic.twitter.com/19I9e61QG7
— India in Guangzhou (@cgiguangzhou) June 21, 2019
Not to be left behind!
— India in Bhutan (@Indiainbhutan) June 21, 2019
This year #YogaDay was also celebrated at the site of the Punatsangchhu Hydroelectric Power Project. #ZindagiRaheKhush pic.twitter.com/KTFFou1RkU
Spreading the message of unison of Mind, body, souls and Universe in Uzbekistan- Embassy and LBS Cultural Centre celebrating 5th International Yoga day.. pic.twitter.com/iUDc2bLpZS
— India in Uzbekistan (@amb_tashkent) June 21, 2019
Ambassador Pavan Kapoor, Israeli actress Michal Yanai and Mr. Lior Shapira, Chairman of Tel Aviv City Council inaugurate the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga in Tel Aviv. #IDY2019 #YogaDay2019 @moayush @TelAviv @ICCR_Delhi @IndianDiplomacy pic.twitter.com/DjiQnVFFSY
— India in Israel (@indemtel) June 21, 2019