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UN Resident Coordinator in India Shumbi Sharp said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a yoga session at the UN Secretariat on June 21 to mark the International Day of Yoga.
interacts with PTI On the sidelines of a symposium held here to mark 75 years of UN peacekeeping operations, he also said since 2015, “The world has truly embraced International Yoga Day.”
In recognition of its global appeal, in December 2014, the United Nations declared June 21 as International Yoga Day by resolution. The day aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
“Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi will lead a yoga session at the United Nations, in the General Secretariat, on June 21,” Sharp said.
The General Secretariat performs the substantive and administrative business of the United Nations as directed by the General Assembly, the Security Council and other organs.
“It was understood by everybody and 175 member states signed on to it very quickly. It’s one of those popular international days, and it really embodies many things. It’s about mindfulness and mental health,” he said.
He said yoga has helped people during difficult times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yoga is about staying fit and relaxed, Sharp said, and International Yoga Day has “resonated in the international community.”
He added that Prime Minister Modi’s presence at the United Nations would be “special”.
The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and supported by 175 member states, according to the United Nations website.
The proposal was first made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th General Assembly, where he said, “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient traditions. Yoga embodies the unity of mind and body, thought and action… a holistic approach (it) Valuable for our health and well-being. Yoga is not just a practice; it is a way to discover a sense of oneness with yourself, with the world and with nature.”
Earlier, Sharp read a message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the seminar.
After reading the letter, he thanked India for its contribution to UN peacekeeping operations over the decades.
“Bharat ka dil si bahut dhaniyawad (many thanks to India from the bottom of the heart),” Sharp said.
India is one of the largest troop contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations. It has contributed about 2.75,000 troops to peacekeeping missions to date, with about 5,900 troops currently deployed to 12 United Nations missions, according to a MoD statement.
Later, Sharp also interacted with the media and also took some questions.
In his speech, during the symposium, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh called for expansion of the UN Security Council with India as a permanent member and said it was time to make the UN bodies “more democratic and representative of the current realities of our time”. .
When asked about his response to these remarks, the UN diplomat said, “The UN, when it comes to the Secretary-General, and UN staff, understands that all multi-level organizations need to adapt and change to be relevant, and certainly the UN is no exception.”
Everyone understands that “there must be reform and change in order for them to be relevant in today’s world,” Sharp said, adding, “It is up to member states to determine the pace and nature of these reforms and change.”
“No one, even an uninterested bystander, can argue that India does not have an incredibly strong resume to be a member of the Security Council,” he said.
(This story was not edited by the News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
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