भारत का राजदूतावास, वासाा

Embassy of India, Warsaw ***

Poland celebrates International Day of Yoga – 19 June 2016

The 2nd International Day of Yoga Festival at the Pole Mokotowskie Park in Warsaw

today saw huge participation by nearly 10,000 yoga practitioners and enthusiasts in the

day-long festival, featuring yoga demonstrations, specialized group yoga sessions, Indian

traditional culinary delicacies, classical dances, yoga dance and a festive concert, depicting

a whole range of Indian culture and tradition.

An Indian Yoga Teacher, Ms Kirti Gahlawat, from ICCR joined the IDY Yoga Festival

in Warsaw. Yoga celebrations were also held in 20 other Polish cities, including in Toruń,

Sulisław, Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk and Sopot.

At the opening ceremony, Ambassador Ajay Bisaria thanked Poland for its support at

the UN in declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga, which was celebrated last

year in 192 countries across the globe. The 2015 IDY celebrations in Warsaw and 20 other

cities in Poland were overwhelmingly joined by about 11,000 Polish nationals, recognizing

the benefits and advantages of Yoga, the ancient science of well-being from India, in

pursuing a healthy and holistic life bringing harmony and peace to our planet.

The 2nd IDY Festival saw active celebrity support from Poland. The Polish

Ambassadors of Yoga include: Edyta Herbuś (dancer-actress), Małgorzata Pieczyńska

(actress), Natalia Przybysz (singer & song writer), Agnieszka Cegielska (TV anchor),

Paulina Holtz (TV actress), Agnieszka Maciag (model-journalist), Robert Lewandowski

(soccer player), & Tomasz Stanko (musician). They have made yoga part of their lives, and

have made it their mission to bring the message of yoga to people in Poland. The Yoga

Ambassadors actively participated in yoga sessions, panel discussions and lectures during

the festival, while Yoga Ambassador Natalia Przybysz and her sister Paulina Przybysz

presented a jazz concert.

The yoga festival was organized, under the patronage of the Embassy, by the

Association of Yoga Schools in Poland, Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce & Industry

(IPCCI) and The Art of Living, and was supported by the Indian Association in Poland (IAP)

and several Polish and Indo-Polish businesses. Several local Yoga clubs, including the Art

of Living, Iyengar Yoga, Yoga and Ayurveda, Yoga magazine, and other fitness clubs and

product manufacturers, set up their stalls and conducted yoga demonstrations.

The number of Polish practitioners of Yoga is consistently rising. As per a recent

study by the Association of Yoga Schools, there were more than 300,000 Polish nationals

doing Yoga last year. Yoga is taught in 800 local schools with about 6000 yoga students.

There are an estimated 1000 Yoga Teachers, the rank of which is growing.

Yoga and Ayurveda, like the study of Indology and languages (Sanskrit, Hindi, Tamil

& Bengali) as well as dances – classical, folk and contemporary – are becoming hugely

popular in Poland, given our long-standing friendly relationship, and growing engagement in

economy and people-to-people ties.

***