Kimhae Declares Itself a 'Yoga City' and to Hold 'UN International Day of Yoga' Commemoration Event on the 20th

Gyeongnam Gimhae-si UN International Day of Yoga Commemoration Event Poster. [Image source=Gimhae-si]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] Gimhae City has joined hands with India to spread the culture of 'yoga.' The legendary tale that the queen of King Suro, the founder of the ancient Gaya Kingdom, came from India has led to Gimhae receiving a proposal from India, the land of yoga.

Gimhae City in Gyeongnam announced on the 9th that it will hold the '2021 UN International Day of Yoga Commemoration Event and Gaya Meditation Culture Festival' on the 20th at the outdoor performance hall of Gaya Theme Park.

The International Day of Yoga was established on June 21 every year after being proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and approved by 175 countries at the 2014 UN General Assembly to promote the positive aspects of yoga such as mental stability and health management.

Under the theme 'Advancing through Stillness,' this event was first planned last year at the suggestion of the Indian Ambassador to Korea but was canceled due to COVID-19. This year, it will be held on a small scale while adhering to quarantine guidelines.

Since it is a small-scale event, the entire program will be broadcast live on Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms for non-face-to-face participation. The SNS channels for each group’s broadcast are Gimhae City Yoga Association YouTube, Gaya Cultural Promotion Institute Facebook, Instagram (channel gaya_hon), YouTube (Gaya Spirit Professional Arts Group), and Indian Cultural Center Facebook (iccseoul).

The event will begin with an exciting Nanta performance by local artists and a poetry recitation play titled 'Queen Heo Passes on General’s Tea,' followed by a rich and diverse three-hour program including yoga demonstrations by instructors from the Indian Cultural Center in Korea, relaxation and breathing meditation, and silent walking meditation.

The event consists of low-difficulty movements so anyone can participate easily, and for those unfamiliar with meditation yoga, a preliminary event has been held every Saturday from the 29th of last month to the 19th of this month at Gimhae Gymnasium.

Both the main event and the preliminary event require prior registration through the Gimhae City Yoga Association (via text or phone), with 100 participants for the main event and 50 for the preliminary event.

Participants will receive souvenirs such as yoga mats and T-shirts, and inquiries can be made to the Gimhae City Yoga Association.

Mayor Heo Seong-gon said, “I hope this day will help citizens exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic find peace of mind through yoga and meditation and gain hope for the recovery of daily life,” adding, “I hope the long-standing relationship between Gimhae and India will deepen further through the hosting of the International Day of Yoga commemoration event.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.