The theme of the Session was “Work Life Balance & Health: Distress to De Stress”. Ms. Iman Mutlaq, a Yoga expert and recipient of the award “Middle East Woman of the Year 2015” was the Keynote Speaker. She demonstrated some basic Yoga Asanas and breathing exercises. It was followed by an introduction to Ayurveda by Ms. Kaushani Desai. There was an exciting Odissi dance performance and screening of a short film on Yoga. The Session was attended by around 800 Omani and Indian nationals, both women and men. The participants enthusiastically participated in doing Yoga Asanas and breathing exercises.
The Embassy had earlier associated itself, as part of a series of events being organized in the run up to the second International Yoga Day, with Art of Living in organising a Yoga Session on mountain top in Muscat to greet the rising sun on 2nd January 2016. This event was organized to spread awareness about Yoga and its benefits among the people. There was participation by 108 enthusiasts, who performed the Sun Salutation, Pranayama and meditation.
While addressing the 69th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014, Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, had urged the world community to adopt 21st June as International Day of Yoga. He had stressed:
"Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; 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. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day“.
Thereafter, the United Nations General Assembly had declared on 11 December 2014, through a unanimous Resolution 21st June as International Day of Yoga. The Resolution had recognized that yoga provides a holistic approach to health and well-being and that wider dissemination of information about the benefits of practising yoga would be beneficial for the health of the world population. It had invited all Member and observer States, the organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day of Yoga, in an appropriate manner and in accordance with national priorities, in order to raise awareness of the benefits of practising yoga. The First International Day of Yoga (21st June 2015) was observed throughout the world, including in Muscat, by holding yoga sessions, talks, symposia etc.
