Secretary-General, in Message for International Day, Says Yoga Can Improve Public Health, Promote Peace

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for the International Day of Yoga, observed on 21 June:

During a visit to India this year, I had the opportunity to practise yoga with one of my senior advisers.  Although he happened to be a son of the country, I might equally have done the same with many other colleagues from different parts of the world.  Yoga is an ancient discipline from a traditional setting that has grown in popularity to be enjoyed by practitioners in every region.  By proclaiming 21 June as the International Day of Yoga, the General Assembly has recognized the holistic benefits of this timeless practice and its inherent compatibility with the principles and values of the United Nations.

Yoga offers a simple, accessible and inclusive means to promote physical and spiritual health and well-being.  It promotes respect for one’s fellow human beings and for the planet we share.  And yoga does not discriminate; to varying degrees, all people can practise, regardless of their relative strength, age or ability.

I discovered this for myself on trying to do my first asana, a tree pose suited to beginners.  It took a moment for me to gain my balance, but once I did, I appreciated the simple sense of satisfaction that yoga can bring.

On this first-ever International Day of Yoga, let us see the benefits of this practice in terms of individual well-being, as well as our collective efforts to improve public health, promote peaceful relations and usher in a life of dignity for all.