11th International Day of Yoga 2026

Under the theme of ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’, International Day of Yoga (IDY) for 2026 will be organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in the North Lawn Area of the United Nations Headquarters on Thursday, 18 June 2026 from 5 pm to 6.30 pm. Since its inception, IDY has emerged as an annual celebration of Yoga across the world, towards achieving health and well being of both mind and body. This year’s theme underscores the instrumental role regular practice of Yoga can play in ensuring physical and mental well being and in fostering healthy and active ageing. It is the power within us to transform ourselves we will celebrate on this special day.

On December 11, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly designated June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution was co-sponsored by a record number of 175 member statesSince then, millions around the globe, united by the practice of yoga, have been celebrating this day with great fervour each year. In 2023, Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi led the historic International Day of Yoga celebration at the United Nations Headquarters which created a Guinness World Record for the participation of yoga enthusiasts of most nationalities. This global celebration fosters unity and harmony, transcends borders and cultures, and brings us closer to a world of peace and well-being.

On the 12th annual celebration of this ancient Indian practice on 18th June at UN Headquarters, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations warmly welcomes you to join this journey of achieving global well being . Attendees will include delegates from UN Member States, UN officials and staff, and notable individuals from various fields in New York. The goal is to continue or commence your participation in a global movement that emphasizes well-being, health and harmony.

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The Permanent Mission of India in New York will be commemorating the 7th International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2021. The celebrations will be marked at a time when COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend lives and livelihoods of people globally.

Beyond its immediate impact on the physical health, the COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated psychological suffering and mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, as pandemic-related restrictions continue in various forms in many countries. This has highlighted the urgent need to address the mental health dimension of the pandemic, in addition to the physical health aspects.

The message of Yoga in promoting – both physical and mental well-being of humanity – has never been more relevant. A growing trend of people around the world embracing Yoga to stay healthy and rejuvenated and to fight social isolation and depression has been witnessed during the pandemic. Yoga is also playing a significant role in the psycho-social care and rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients in quarantine and isolation. They are particularly useful in allaying their fears and anxiety.

Recognizing this important role of Yoga, this year’s commemoration of the International Day of Yoga will be focused on “Yoga for well-being”, i.e. how practice of Yoga can promote holistic health of every individual. The celebrations will commence with messages from the President of the United Nations General Assembly and the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, which will be followed by demonstrations of Yoga exercises (asanas) to improve physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and an Interactive panel discussion on “Yoga for well-being”.

The event will be webcast LIVE on June 21, 2021 from 0830 hrs (EDT) on UN Web TV (http://webtv.un.org/) and the social media pages of the Permanent Mission of India. IDY 2021 celebrations are supported by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the State Bank of India, New York.

Yoga Lecture Demonstration
by Eddie Stern

Eddie Stern is a Yoga teacher, author, and lecturer from New York City. He has been practicing Yoga since 1987, and ran his school in SoHo from 1993-2019. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s the school became a focal point for Ashtanga Yoga in New York, with an eclectic mix of downtown artists and spiritual seekers practicing and meditating next to each other. Eddie has a passion for seeking out diversity in all aspects of his work, and uses a multidisciplinary combination of technology, scientific research and collaboration to help further understanding, education and access to yoga. He continues to study philosophy, Sanskrit, ritual, science and religion, as well as maintain a passion for the daily practice of Yoga.

Eddie Stern
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Interactive Dialogue on "Yoga and Well-being"
Panelist
Nouf Marwaai

Nouf Marwaai is a Yoga instructor from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She started practicing yoga in 1998 because of her health issues and has been practicing for more than 20 years. Nouf is the first certified yoga teacher in Saudi Arabia and the founder of Arab Yoga Foundation. She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award - Padma Shri Award, by the President of India in recognition of her efforts in popularizing yoga in the Arab region. She has served in various positions of prominence, including Advisor in Asian Yoga Federation (2012), Member on Advisory board of World Yoga Council Europe (2015) etc. She is currently President of Saudi Yoga Committee under the Ministry of Sports of Saudi Arabia.

Interactive Dialogue on "Yoga and Well-being"
Panelist
Dr. Krishna Raman

Dr. Krishna Raman MBBS, FCCP has been practising yoga since the age of 14 years.

A graduate in Medicine from Madras Medical College, Chennai, he is a pioneer in integrating western medicine with Yoga for Orthopaedic pain management.

He has authored two books on Yoga - “A Matter of Health-Integration of Yoga and Western Medicine for Prevention and cure” and “Yoga and Medical Science : FAQ”. In these books, he has shattered unscientific claims and myths about yoga with adequate medical evidence.

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Interactive Dialogue on "Yoga and Well-being"
Moderator:
Reverend Sam Rudra Swartz

Reverend Rudra became a student of Sri Swami Satchidananda in 2001. Since then he has been an active member of the Integral Yoga organization, and the Integral Yoga Institute of New York. He completed Hatha Yoga Teacher Training with Integral Yoga Institue of San Francisco. He previously served as a director of Camp Yogaville, a Children’s Yoga Camp for 8 summers. Rudra graduated from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts and is an active musician.

 

Useful Weblinks / Upcoming Events

 

IDY Yoga 2026

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