Yoga practioners celebrating the IDY at Al-Azhar Park
More than 500 people from different walks of life and age groups, including members of the diplomatic corps, participated in the celebration.
Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhy attended the event as the chief guest.
In his address, Sobhy stressed the deep-rooted relations between Egypt and India in various fields and expressed his desire to promote further bilateral relations in the field of youth affairs and sports. He strongly recommended the practice of yoga and praised it as a “heritage of India.”
While speaking about the benefits of yoga in ensuring overall well-being, Ambassador of India to Egypt Ajit Gupte also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the adoption of a UN resolution declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga.
"Yoga is the valuable gift of the ancient Indian civilization to the world. Yoga addresses the spiritual, mental and physical aspects, and so it helps people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which enhances harmony between mind, soul and body," he added.
Amongst the celebrities present, the most prominent was Egyptian actress Leqaa El-Khamisy. She seized the opportunity to speak of the benefits of yoga and how it had helped her in her difficult times. "I am pleased to be known as an ambassador of yoga in Egypt," she stated.
A live feed of the programme was provided to Indian national TV as part of the Guardian Ring initiative.
In the run up to the eighth International Day of Yoga 2022, the embassy of India in Cairo organised curtain raisers in Alexandria at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and in Sharm El-Sheikh at Sharm El-Sheikh Museum, as well as in Luxor at Karnak Temple. In addition, a number of yoga workshops were organised by the embassy at Heliopolis Club, Al-Shams Club and at the Arab Contractors Club.
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