International Yoga Day: Prime Minister Modi leads the celebration in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
This year's celebrations of International Yoga Day were led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) June 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that "Yoga is for everyone, beyond boundaries, backgrounds, age, or ability" while presiding over the International Yoga Day celebrations on Saturday from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The theme of the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations is "Yoga for One Earth, One Health.”
PM Modi said, "I extend my greetings to the people from across the world on this occasion of International Yoga Day. Today, the entire world is performing Yoga. Yoga simply means to add, and it is an immense pleasure to see how Yoga has connected the entire world."
According to the Prime Minister, "Yoga is the pause button" that mankind needs to breathe, balance and re-establish itself because the entire planet is experiencing some form of disturbance. He was pointing to the escalating tensions, chaos and wars happening around the world.
At the massive event, which took place along a 26-kilometer stretch from Ramakrishna Beach in Visakhapatnam to Bhogapuram, Prime Minister Modi also declared, "Yoga has now become a part of the lives of crores of people around the world.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is promoting the nationwide celebration by leading more than 3 lakh people in the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP). The "Yoga Sangam" campaign involves coordinated sessions at more than 1 lakh venues nationwide and is the reason behind this large rally. It is anticipated that over 2 crore people will take part in total.
The Andhra Pradesh government is also issuing more than 50 million yoga certifications and organizing a Guinness World Record attempt to mark the decadal edition. At Andhra University, 25,000 tribal youngsters performed 108 Surya Namaskars in 108 minutes.
In Vadnagar, Gujarat, 2,121 people held the Cobra pose (Bhujangasana) in yoga for two minutes and nine seconds on Saturday and set a new Guinness World Record. Richard Stunning, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records oversaw the record-breaking competition, which needed at least 250 competitors to maintain the pose for at least one minute.
The Ministry of Ayush has also introduced 10 Signature Events to involve every element of society which includes Yoga Bandhan, Harit Yoga and Yoga Unplugged.
The theme for this year is "Yoga for One Earth, One Health," which emphasizes the close relationship between human health and the health of the planet and echoes the Indian philosophy of "Sarve Santu Niramaya."
India has held yoga events on 21st June annually since 2014 as the UN adopted India's resolution recognizing June 21 as the International Day of Yoga (IDY).
At the 2014 United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi first suggested celebrating IDY. He emphasized the worldwide appeal of yoga and proposed that the Summer Solstice, which falls on June 21, would be a suitable day for the practice. IDY was first observed in 2015, and the resolution was widely supported, with 177 UN member nations co-sponsoring it.
Aadrika Tayal
