High Commission of India

Colombo

PRESS RELEASE

Sri Lanka celebrates Yoga Day with gusto

In December 2014, at India’s request, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Sri Lanka was one of the first countries to co-sponsor the resolution. In pursuance of the United Nations resolution, Sri Lankans across the country have been participating in yoga events to celebratethe second International Day of Yoga.

The highlight of the celebrations was “surya namaskar” by 11,000 school children at the Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna on 18 June 2016, witnessed by H.E. Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka, and through video conference by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. Both leaders also dedicated the Stadium, renovated by India, to the people of Sri Lanka. The event was organized by the High Commission of India and the Consulate General of India in Jaffna and the Ministry of Sports of Sri Lanka.

In Colombo, a mega yoga event was organized by the High Commission of India and the Indian Cultural Centre on 21 June 2016 at the Vihara Mahadevi Open Air Theatre. Messages from Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and Hon’ble External Affairs Minister of India, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, were screened. More than 500 yoga enthusiasts attend the event, which was organized in collaboration with well-known yoga institutions of Sri Lanka, such as The Art of Living, Sethsada Yoga Institute, The Om Space, Brahma Kumari Raja Yoga Centre, Ashtanka Yoga Mandir, Dhamya Yoga Akademi, Om Kriya Babaji Yoga Aranyam, My Yoga Lounge, Hatha Yoga Centre, and Shakthi Aanada Yoga School of Batticoloa. To showcase the common thread of yoga running through the tradition and culture of both India and Sri Lanka, “Nrutya Yoga” - Yoga in Kandyan Dance, was performed by Ravibandhu Samanthi Narthana Ayathaneya, choreographed by eminent dancer and drummer of Sri Lanka, Sri Ravivandhu Vidhyapathi.

The Assistant High Commission of India organized a large yoga event on 18 June 2016 at Bogambara Stadium in Kandy, in partnership with ‘Brahma Kumaris’. Hon'ble Sarath Ekanayake, Chief Minister of Central Province, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Yoga events were also organized in Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Kurunegala and Ratnapura. Events will be held during the week in Dambulla, Badulla and Matale.

The Consulate General of India in Hambantota organized a large yoga event on 18 June 2016 at the Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya in Galle.H.E. Dr. Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Governor of Southern Province, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. A yoga event was also organized on 21 June 2016 at the Public Ground in Monaragala. The yoga sessions were conducted by a visiting yoga guru from India.

Various other organizations and yoga practitioners held their own yoga events to mark the International Day of Yoga 2016.

The High Commission of India looks forward to yoga events being held on a regular basis all across Sri Lanka.

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22 June 2016

Colombo