Dubai prepares for International Yoga Day

Dubai: Schools and public places in Dubai are being readied to celebrate the 5th International Yoga Day, which has become an important annual event on the sports calender of the emirate.

The day every year is observed on June 21 since its inception in 2015 in India after it was declared unanimously as the International Yoga Day by the United Nations. Dubai has become one of the leading centres of yoga in the world, hosting a number of events throughout the year and across the emirate. Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, recently met Vipul, Consul General of India in Dubai, to discuss preparations for the event. They agreed to organize the main event at Zabeel Park and invite all government entities and private institutions to participate in the celebrations.

"We are proud that Dubai was the first city in the world to organize events to mark the International Day of Yoga in 2015 and we are pleased to see the growth since across the world," said Hareb. "We have seen big, enthusiastic crowds attending International Day of Yoga celebrations across the city over the past four years and we are expecting the same for this year," he said. Vipul said they have worked in partnership with Dubai Sports Council to make the celebrations a grand affair every year.

"We have organized some very big events in Dubai to mark the International Day of Yoga over the past four years," he said. "This year again, we are looking to organize another big celebration. We have lots of exciting plans," he added.

In 2015, more than 13,000 people turned up at the local al-Wasl Sports Club to take part in the activities that marked the first International Day of Yoga. In 2016, the main event was held inside the air-conditioned halls of Dubai World Trade Centre and more than 20,000 people took part in it. In 2017 and 2018, the celebrations were held across Dubai with many private schools taking part in it.