United Nations General Assembly Declares June 21 as International Yoga Day

NEW DELHI, December 11 (Sputnik) — The 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on an International Day of Yoga on Thursday with a record number of 175 countries co-sponsoring it.

According to the resolution, the International Day of Yoga will be observed by the United Nations on June 21 every year.

"In proclaiming 21 June as the International Day of Yoga, the General Assembly has brought attention to the holistic benefits of this ancient practice on health and well being in our modern world," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said in his congratulatory message. He added that International Yoga Day will help promote other UN goals and initiatives as "Yoga can bring communities together."

The idea of declaring an International Day of Yoga at the United Nations was proposed by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the UN General Assembly on 27 September 2014.

Modi had suggested that 21st June, the summer solstice, which is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere, has special significance in many parts of the world and could be considered for adoption as the International Day of Yoga by the UN.