In 2014, the United Nations recognized the importance of yoga and, as a mark of recognition, declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. This has since been observed by many nations in all continents of the world.
This is the 3rd International Day of Yoga. Yoga is a part of traditional health care in the South-East Asia Region that is believed to have much to contribute to achieving good health and well-being.
Yoga can change our perspective on life. Reported benefits from practitioners include a renewed sense of health and well-being, emotional equanimity and intellectual clarity.
Its therapeutic principles emphasize an holistic approach to health and disease. The practice of yoga is believed to help reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases including heart disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases, which has been demonstrated in a number of studies in India and other countries.
Importantly, yoga can be practised anywhere and by anyone – be they young or old, rich or poor. It fits in very well with the healthy lifestyle that WHO strongly advocates for, from youth to old age.
Later this year, the health benefits of yoga, with other traditional systems of medicines, will be discussed among eminent international experts and researchers at the International Symposium on Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Sri Lanka, to be organized by the Government of Sri Lanka in collaboration with WHO.
I would also like to take this opportunity to present a new edition of the “Common Yoga Protocol” for the International Day of Yoga celebrations prepared by the committee of yoga experts and edited by Dr I.V. Basavaraddi, Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), a WHO collaborating centre for traditional medicine. This new edition can be used by anyone interested in yoga and is relevant to all countries of the South-East Asia Region.
I hope this publication will provide the readers with basic and fundamental knowledge about how we can lead our lives more free from stress through the practice of yoga.
I am very happy to celebrate International day of Yoga together with other parts of the world.
I wish the International Day of Yoga all success.