“Yoga for Humanity” chosen as theme for 8th edition of International Day of Yoga

New Delhi: The 8th edition of International Day of Yoga will be celebrated with theme “Yoga for Humanity”. Ministry of Ayush has chosen this theme for 8th International Day of Yoga 2022 to be organised in India and across the globe on 21st June 2022. The main event of IDY 2022 demonstration will be held at Mysuru, Karnataka. The theme of last year’s IDY, organised during COVID-19 pandemic was “Yoga for wellness".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the theme in his “Maan Ki Baat’ address. The theme for this year’s IDY has been selected after much deliberation/consultation and it appropriately portrays, how during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, yoga served the humanity in alleviating the sufferings and in the emerging post-covid geo-political scenario too, it will bring people together through compassion, kindness, foster a sense of unity and build resilience among people world over.

Union Minister for Ayush, Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said that our Prime Minister has suitably announced this year’s IDY theme as “Yoga for Humanity”. As we are aware Yoga is a practice that brings joy, health, and peace from within, and it deepens a sense of continuous connection between an individual’s inner consciousness and the external world. IDY 2022 will be successful in propagating this theme appropriately. 

Focusing on Yoga for Humanity, special programmes have been designed this year for specially abled people, Transgender population, women and children. Human values that are an integral part of Yoga education in schools are also in focus. This year our villages/Gram Panchayats will also see huge participation as, the Common Service Centres (CSCs) are promoting practice and training of Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) and it is expected millions of villagers will participate in the IDY 2022.

The 8th edition of International Day of Yoga will see many firsts, one of them is an innovative programme named “Guardian Ring”, which will showcase the movement of the sun, participation of people performing Yoga will take place along with the movement of the sun from different countries, beginning from east and marching towards west. It will be a wonderful Relay Yoga Streaming programme telecasted live on DD channels.

As the nation is also celebrating “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, 75 national level iconic sites will also be showcasing the mass CYP demonstration on June 21st while respective states will also organise similar programmes at 75 important locations as per their selection.

The 8th edition of International Day of Yoga (IDY2022) is being promoted through multiple programmes by the Ministry of Ayush, in association with Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga. A curtain raiser event to mark the 100 days countdown was celebrated on 13th March 2022, which started the campaign: 100 days, 100 cities and 100 organisations from 13th March to 21st June, 2022, across the globe. A 75th day countdown event was organized at the Red Fort in New Delhi. The 50th Days countdown was celebrated at Sivasagar, Assam and 25th days countdown was celebrated in Hyderabad, Telangana.