World Yoga Day
In September 2014, at the UN General Assembly, quoting the benefits of yoga for health and mind the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi, stated that yoga was the need of the hour to enable people around the world to combat stress in their day-to-day life and proposed that the world celebrate Yoga Day to coincide with summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. Thus, the world started celebrating the International Day of Yoga (IDY) on June 21 every year since 2015.
In keeping with the spirit of yoga, the yoga day has had different themes each year. The themes in the previous years have been:
- 2015: Yoga for Harmony and Peace
- 2016: Yoga for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
- 2017: Yoga for Health
- 2018: Yoga for Peace
- 2019: Yoga for Heart
- 2020: Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family
- 2021: Yoga for wellness
IDY has been under the shadow of COVID-19 since 2020. In these times of stress and isolation, yoga has helped people to achieve stress relief and exercise within the confines of their home. As COVID continues unabated, IDY 2022 events will be scaled down slightly. The theme for IDY is "Yoga for Humanity".
Numerous studies have shown yoga to have a positive effect in arthritis, osteopenia, balance issues, oncology, women's health, chronic pain and other health related issues. Some of the specific benefits of yoga are:
- Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.
- Yoga helps with back pain relief.
- Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms.
- Yoga is good for heart health.
- Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better.
- Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.
- Yoga helps you manage stress.
- Yoga connects you with a supportive community.
- Yoga promotes better self-care.
Ethiopia was among the 177 countries of the 193-member UN that supported the India-sponsored resolution to declare June 21 as International Yoga Day and has been organising events on the day every year. According to the Indian Embassy in Addis Ababa, there were 100 yoga events held in various cities and regions of Ethiopia in 2021. The Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Robert Shetkintong is quoted to have said that besides India, Ethiopia led the world in commemorating the International Day of Yoga in terms of the highest number of yoga events. Yoga sessions were organised in 26 universities, 50 schools and factories across the country.
Apart from the program in the embassy, Yoga sessions have also been organised in Bole Lemi Industrial Park, Eastern Industrial Park, Kilinto Industrial Park, Addis Ababa, Gelan, Bishoftu, Adama, Bule Hora, Arbaminch, Jimma, Asosa, Gambella, Ginchi, Debre Birhan, Hawassa, Dire Dawa, Jigijiga, Wolkite and Bahir Dar.
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has said yoga leads us from negativity to creativity. This yoga day, let us resolve to practice yoga to progress as individuals and a society from negativity to creativity. Also contribute to the economy of your homeland by remitting money to family via GELILA Money transfer offers quick and easy international money transfer to various locations in Africa.