The Consulate General of India in Shanghai along with Municipal/City Governments of Shanghai, Wenzhou, Wuxi, Zhenjiang, Taizhou, Yiwu, Shaoxing, Yangzhou and Ningbo would be jointly organizing the largest ever celebration of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) in the Eastern China Region (ECR) from 18-26 June as per the schedule placed below:

2. It may be noted that India and China jointly co-sponsored the Resolution adopting the IDY in the United Nations in December 2014. The Resolution also received an unprecedented 177 co-sponsors from the 193 member states of the United Nations, establishing a record in the United Nations General Assembly for any Resolution of such nature.

3. It may also be noted that the celebration of IDY is an initiative of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi who had called for its adoption at the United Nations on September 27, 2014 and stated “Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being. Yoga is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with ourselves, the world and Nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us to deal with climate change”

4. Pursuant to the adoption of the IDY, a series of Yoga promotion events are being organized in the ECR with participation of at least 1000 Yoga lovers at each of the 9 cities. The venues chose, at each of the 9 cities include the respective cities most iconic/representative site where the 2nd IDY celebrations would be conducted. Under the aegis of ICCR, a senior Indian Yoga teacher has been flown in from India, to demonstrate hour long Yoga sessions as per the Common Yoga Protocol.

5. In Shanghai, three special events have been organized which would begin in the morning of June 21 at the Jing’an Park, wherein Jing’an leadership along with several Consuls General have confirmed their participation. The event is likely to be attended by nearly 1000 Yoga lovers from across the Jing’an district.

6. The second event in Shanghai has been aimed at the young college going fraternity of the Shanghai University of Electricity and Power at around 1430 hrs, wherein a special session of Yoga for 300+ students is being organized. Later in the evening a Special Photo Exhibition chronicling the history of Yoga along with special postures and their health benefits (as detailed in the Common Yoga Protocol), would be inaugurated for display for a week at the prestigious Shanghai Library.

7. It may be recalled that during the visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to China in May 2015, a joint Yoga -Taichi session was conducted at the prestigious Temple of Heaven in the presence of Hon’ble Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and H.E. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The practice of Yoga is immensely popular in ECR with thousand of Yoga clubs promoting the ancient Indian practice of Yoga.

8. Earlier last month on May 20, Consulate General of India in Shanghai had organized a curtain raiser event in Taizhou (Zhejiang province) to mark the upcoming 2nd IDY celebrations wherein 1000 Yoga lovers from Taizhou city had joined in at the foothills of the Tiantai Mountain in Taizhou. Taken all together, this 9 day schedule would mark the largest celebration of 2nd IDY in mainland China in terms of scale, size and level of participation.

Shanghai, 16 June, 2016

IDY schedule

IDY Schedule shaghani