192 countries participated in International Day of Yoga celebrations

NEW DELHI: The International Day of Yoga ( IDY) on June 21 this year received a "positive" response and all the 193 member countries of United Nations except Yemen participated in the celebrations, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

"The Ministry of External Affairs has intimated that as per reports received from Indian Missions abroad, IYD celebrations on June 21 received a positive response.

"The activities carried out in various countries include lectures, demonstrations and mass yoga practice based on common yoga protocol, meeting with yoga clubs and community organisations, yoga concerts, yogathons, yoga walks, film and documentaries screening and photographic exhibitions," AYUSH minister Shripad Naik said.

He said that as per inputs received from MEA, all 193 member countries of United Nations except Yemen participated in the celebrations.

He said that the expert committee constituted for the IDY celebrations did not recommend the inclusion of Surya namaskar in the common yoga protocol. The question therefore of removal of surya namaskar from IDY does not arise, the minister said.

The government had earlier said that over Rs 32 crore was spent on organising the first International Yoga Day.

He said that the main event was organised on Rajpath where 35,985 participants performed yoga. A two-day international conference on yoga was also organised on June 21-22.