June 21 (UPI) — The Ninth International Day of Yoga took place on Wednesday, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking part with hundreds of others outside of U.N. headquarters in New York.
The United Nations first recognized June 21 as an International Day of Yoga in 2014, after it was proposed by Modi and supported by 175 other countries.
“Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition,” Modi said when he introduced the resolution. “Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action … a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”
Modi arrived in New York on Tuesday and is set to visit President Joe Biden later Wednesday. While in New York on Wednesday, Modi led the yoga celebrations alongside hundreds of other people.
Guinness World Records said the event set a new mark for the most nationalities to appear at a yoga lesson.
On Twitter, Modi thanked New City Mayor Eric Adams and the U.N. General Assembly president for joining the celebration, saying, “Their participation underscores the universal appeal of yoga, bridging nations and cultures for the common goals of health and peace.”