His Excellency Vipul, the Consul General of India in Dubai, met with His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, to discuss preparations for next month’s International Day Yoga.

Mr Vipul met HE Saeed Hareb at the Dubai Sports Council office, in the presence of Nasser Aman Al Rahma, ssistant Secretary General of DSC, to discuss plans for the 5^th International Day of Yoga, which will be celebrated on June 21.

“We are proud that Dubai were the first city in the world to organise events to mark the International Day of Yoga in 2015 and we are pleased to see how the event has grown since across the world,” said Hareb. “We have seen big, enthusiastic crowds attending International Day of Yoga across the city over the past four years and we are expecting the same for this year.

“We have just had a meeting with His Excellency the Consul General of India in Dubai and we have got some exciting plans to celebrate the 5^th International Day of Yoga.”

Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that symbolises the union of body and consciousness. It originated in India but is now popular across the globe and recognising its universal appeal, the United Nations proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11, 2014.

The following year, Dubai became the first city in the world to organise events to commemorate the International Day of Yoga.

“We have organised some very big events in Dubai to celebrate the occasion in the past four years,” said HE Vipul. “Dubai was the first city to support us and we have worked in partnership with Dubai Sports Council to make the celebrations a grand affair every year. This year again, we are looking to organise another big Yoga Day. We have lots of exciting plans.”

In 2015, more than 13,000 people turned up at Al Wasl Sports Club to take part in the activities that marked the first International Day of Yoga. Twelve months later, the main event was held inside the air-conditioned halls of Dubai World Trade Centre and more than 20,000 people took part with Baba Ramdev leading the throng. In 2017 and 2018, the International Day of Yoga celebrations were held across Dubai and dozens of Dubai private schools also took part in the celebrations.