PM Modi To Lead International Yoga Day Event At UN Headquarters In New York This Year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead in celebrating International Day of Yoga at the UN headquarters in New York this year, nine years after the UN's recognition of June 21 as the date for the annual event.

For the event on June 21, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be joined by Csaba Korosi, President of the UN General Assembly, diplomatic representatives of nearly 190 countries, New York Mayor Eric Adams, US political leaders from the region, and top Indian-American diaspora figures across different fields. The gathering will take place at the north lawns of the UN complex in New York.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will not attend the event as he will be in Paris for a conference on a new global financing pact.

Reportedly, India has reserved every available area in the UN complex along with the riverside promenade overlooking Hudson River, as well as parts of Roosevelt City and Long Island city, to accommodate a large crowd of over 2,000 people for the upcoming event. The live streaming of the Yoga celebrations will also be held at the Times Square, located just a few blocks away.

The upcoming event will start off with a cultural segment, featuring a performance by the UN choir. PM Modi and Korosi are slated to give speeches before the yoga session.

Isha Yoga, a non-profit organization, will hold a special Yoga exhibition inside the UN premises in the week before the Yoga Day celebrations.

After the event in New York, PM Modi will head to Washington DC on the same day to begin the bilateral part of his visit to the US. On June 22, he will be hosted by President Joe Biden for a State visit, featuring a ceremonial welcome at the White House, bilateral talks, and a State dinner.