Yoga enthusiasts gathered in HCM City last year for an event celebrating International Yoga Day. Yoga has been proven to improve both physical and mental wellness. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hương

HÀ NỘI — This year's International Yoga Day (June 21) will be held in 35 provinces and cities across the country, including renowned sites such as Fansipan Peak in Lào Cai, Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Hà Nội, and many more captivating places, according to Indian Ambassador to Việt Nam Sandeep Arya.

It will begin with a yoga performance on June 11 at Thống Nhất Park in Hà Nội, followed by the main ceremonies on June 18 at the Monument to Patriotic Soldiers near Hoàn Kiếm Lake, with over 10,000 people expected to take part.

The Indian Embassy in Hà Nội and the Consulate General of India in HCM City will also work with numerous provinces to stage a yoga concert with the theme "One World, One Health" in honour of the day and to spread awareness about the health benefits associated with yoga.

Sandeep Arya, Indian Ambassador to Việt Nam, speaks at the press briefing announcing the International Yoga Day for this year. — VNA/VNS Photo

Yoga, as described by Ambassador Sandeep Arya, is a 5,000-year-old practice that brings together physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines to achieve a state of inner peace and external harmony.

In September 2014, at the request of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United Nations General Assembly recognised June 21 as International Day of Yoga (IDY) in recognition of the health benefits of yoga among people all over the world.

The ambassador noted that Việt Nam is an important partner of India in promoting and recognising International Yoga Day and that the country is a co-sponsor of the UN General Assembly Resolution establishing the annual celebration.

He said: "The widespread popularity of yoga in Việt Nam shows a deep awareness of the benefits of practising yoga in Việt Nam and its role in the deep cultural and people connection between the two countries."

International Yoga Day (June 21) celebrations in Việt Nam have been going strong for nine years. It is frequently held by the Indian embassy and has become an essential gathering for yoga practitioners in the country.

In 2020, the Indian Embassy joined with Quảng Ninh Province to organise a large-scale event to honour the 6th International Yoga Day in Hạ Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 2022, the Embassy, together with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, organised yoga performances at Tam Chúc Pagoda in the northern province of Hà Nam, as well as several events in cities and provinces like Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Vĩnh Phúc, Thanh Hóa, Quảng Ninh, Lào Cai, Thừa Thiên-Huế, and Quảng Nam. — VNS