The 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) was celebrated by the Indian High Commission in Colombo and its cultural arm, the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Sri Lanka at the Independence Square in Colombo recently. This year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, highlighted the universal relevance of yoga in fostering harmony between humans and nature.
Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, joined the celebrations along with distinguished guests including Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Chrishantha Abeysena, Minister of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Dr. Rizvie Salih, Deputy Minister of Defence Major Gen. K. P. Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Gamagedara Dissanayake and Deputy Minister of Sports Sugath Thilakaratna.
The event began with a spiritual invocation through prayers by Most Ven. Dr. Maitipe Wimalasara Nayaka Thera and the Maha Sangha, who offered blessings for peace and well-being.
A dynamic and refreshing yoga and meditation session followed, conducted by experts from renowned yoga institutions in India and Sri Lanka.
The event brought together hundreds of yoga enthusiasts, dignitaries, and students in a shared spirit of wellness and unity. As part of the celebrations, a specially curated Yoga Pendrive and a Sinhala translation of the Hatha Yoga Pradeepika were launched, aiming to make authentic yoga knowledge more accessible.
Complementing the main event in Colombo, the Consulates in Hambantota and Jaffna, along with the Assistant High Commission in Kandy, also hosted special events, reflecting the enthusiastic and widespread participation in the 11th International Day of Yoga across Sri Lanka.
In a prelude to the main event, the Department of Ayurveda, Ministry of Health and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre jointly held a landmark, island-wide celebration of the International Day of Yoga on June 19, with simultaneous yoga sessions in 113 Ayurveda hospitals and four universities across all nine provinces – marking the first time such a nationwide initiative has been undertaken in Sri Lanka in a unified fashion.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution piloted by India in 2014, proclaiming June 21 each year as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution was supported by more than 170 countries including Sri Lanka.
