New Delhi (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh stretched and bent along with more than 30,000 yoga practitioners at an outdoor session in New Delhi on June 21 to mark International Yoga Day.
At the event, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to the mat and urged people to practice yoga for the sake of their health.
In Vietnam, 500 Yoga instructors and practitioners participated in a mass yoga lesson at My Khe beach in the central city of Da Nang on June 19. The activity was co-organised by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, the Vietnam-India Friendship Association of Da Nang city, and the Indian Embassy in Vietnam.
Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolising the union of body and consciousness.
Today it is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity.
The United Nations designated June 21 the world yoga day in December 2014, gathering support from over 190 countries. The date was first celebrated last year, with a session in New Delhi joined by more than 35,000 people and breaking two world records.-VNA