UAE says ‘namaste’ to world joining Yoga Day celebrations

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, greeted the world with a heartfelt ‘namaste’, a traditional Indian way of greeting, as the UAE celebrated the eighth International Yoga Day.

Community members participated in the ‘Yoga Under the Dome’ session organised by Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi and the Indian Embassy as part of the global ‘Guardian Ring’, a programme that saw different events being held across the world with the movement of the Sun, underlining the concept of ‘One Sun, One Earth’.

“It is gratifying to know that those of us celebrating this eighth International Yoga Day are connected with each other around the world. I would like to share a heartfelt ‘namaste’ to all of you. That one word of greetings and good wishes speaks volumes on this day,” Sheikh Nahyan said in a video message ahead of the start of the session at Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Sunjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, participated in the session along with community members. The day is marked under the theme: ‘Yoga for Humanity’.

“We do best when we strengthen human contact, engage in constructive dialogue and cooperation, and do all we can to preserve human dignity. We do best together when we go forward with determination to see that all people have a positive future to look forward to as members of one human family. These values and principles are at the core of my country’s vision for its present and its future,” Sheikh Nahyan noted.

The minister underlined that the UAE is celebrating Yoga Day with renewed commitment to spread universal global values and international harmony and peace.

“In the UAE, we believe that there is a great and vast field in which we can act together with the rest of the world in defending and promoting the moral values and principles that are a vital part of our common human heritage. We are grateful for yoga, ancient India’s gift to the world, that embodies these values and principles. We thank the nation of India for giving us this International Yoga Day. In the spirit of yoga’s essence, we will redouble our efforts to help those who are in need regardless of their politics, their ideology or their religion. We will strive to reach out to one another in the spirit of peace and harmony as we commit to living together in dignity and good health.”

Today evening, Sheikh Nahyan will be the chief guest at the Yoga Day celebrations to be held at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. More than 5,000 people are expected to participate in the yoga session.

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