Yoga & the Work of the United Nations
World Yoga Day: A Silent Revolution by Rev. Guru Dileepkumar Thankappan (Internationally known as “Guru Dileepji”)
The idea of World Yoga Day was endorsed by Yoga Gurus for the first time in 2011 at the Yoga: A Science for World Peace Conference in Bengaluru. The Yoga Gurus who attended met with the Hon. Indian Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi Ji and presented this endorsement, requesting the proposal and adoption of a Resolution at the United Nations for World Yoga Day. My heart was overjoyed when the proposal was, in fact, first introduced by the Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji in his address, on September 27, 2014, during the opening of the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He stated: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. 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.” Thereafter, on December 11, 2014, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Hon. Ambassador Ashok Mukherji, introduced the draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly. The Resolution was endorsed by a record 177 member states. That same day, due to this overwhelming majority, the UN General Secretary officially declared June 21st as the International Day of Yoga. What a dream come true! All the energy, effort, time and support was finally realized! The Resolution notes “the importance of individuals and populations 59