This year's International Yoga Day will be celebrated in more than 35 provinces and cities across the country, including iconic spots such as Fansipan Peak in the northern province of Lao Cai and Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, among others.

More than 10,000 people are expected to join the event, themed "One World, One Health", according to Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya.

The ninth International Yoga Day will be celebrated by a number of communities, said the Indian Ambassador, who also announced that the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City and the Embassy of India in Hanoi would work together to promote public knowledge about the positive health effects of yoga.

Yoga demonstration by an Indian expert at a press conference on June 2. Photo: Embassy of India

The Indian Ambassador said that yoga is a 5,000-year-old tradition in India that combines physical, mental, and spiritual activities to achieve harmony between the body, mind and nature.

In recognition of its health benefits to the world's population, the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 June as the International Day of Yoga (IDY), following a call by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, in September 2014.

The Indian Ambassador highlighted that Vietnam was a co-sponsor of the UN General Assembly resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga and has been an important partner of India in promoting and celebrating the International Day of Yoga.

"The immense popularity of yoga in Vietnam demonstrates a sound awareness of the benefits of yoga practice and its role in deepening the cultural and people-to-people ties between our two countries," said Ambassador Sandeep Arya.

The inaugural event will take place on June 11 at Thong Nhat Park in Hanoi, while the ninth International Yoga Day will be officially celebrated on June 18 in the Hoan Kiem Lake area.

In Lao Cai, from 16 to 18 June, there will be an exhibition of documents and images showing the history of the birth and development of yoga in India, the world and Vietnam.

In particular, there will be an impressive yoga performance at the top of Fansipan Mountain on the evening of 18 June.

Indian Ambassador Sandeep Arya speaks at the press conference. Photo: Indian Embassy

Over the past nine years, International Yoga Day organized by the Embassy of India, has become a routine activity for yoga practitioners in Vietnam. In 2020, the Embassy coordinated with the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee to organize a large-scale event to commemorate the 6th International Yoga Day at Ha Long Bay's UNESCO World Heritage site. In 2021, the International Yoga Day was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the Embassy, in collaboration with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, held a yoga demonstration at Tam Chuc Pagoda (Ha Nam). In addition, this event also took place in many other provinces and cities, such as Hanoi, Danang, Vinh Phuc, Thanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, Thua Thien-Hue, and Quang Nam.