Sivananda World Peace Foundation celebrates eighth International Yoga Day: BY ZULULAND OBSERVER
Sivananda World Peace Foundation celebrated the eighth International Yoga Day in Durban at the Durban Amphitheatre on the 19th of June 2022.
The Sivananda World Peace Foundation President, Prince Ishwar Ramlutchman Mabheka Zulu, said that the eighth International Yoga Day in Durban, KwaZulu -Natal, South Africa, was supported by His Worship the Mayor of the City of Ethekwini Municipality, Mr Thomas Mxolisi Kaunda, His Excellency Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prime Minister to the Zulu nation, MEC For Treasury KwaZulu Natal Provincial Government MEC Nomusa Dube Ncube and the National Department of Health in the Republic of South Africa.
Many yoga experts and the community at large came out in their numbers to support this year’s event. Some 2200 participants attended this year’s event.As a build up to International Yoga Day, the foundation has gained momentum in promoting yoga in schools, mainly in the rural areas. Some 46 schools enjoyed the awareness campaign this year.
The foundation has partnered with the Nelson Mandela Capture site to promote yoga on a regular basis in Howick.The theme ‘Yoga for Humanity’ for 2022 will continue as we engage to sign partnerships with the Department of Education and Department of Health to propagate yoga in all corners of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa at large. We thank all our partners and well wishers for their kind Support said Prince Ishwar Ramlutchman Mabheka Zulu.
MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube thanked The Sivananda World Peace foundation for initiating International Yoga Day eight years ago.
Today we feel joy to be together promoting yoga for humanity. Emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic which threatened to annihilate life on earth, yoga is a practice that should be embraced by people. Because of its health benefits, yoga is not meant only for those among us who practice a certain religion.
It’s fulfilling and it keeps us content!‘We acknowledge the work of the Sivananda World Peace Foundation in South Africa, mainly in the field of building schools, erecting monuments, building halls and creating oneness amongst the people of KwaZulu-Natal through social cohesion and promoting yoga in schools and in rural communities.
His Excellency Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi said he was glad to have tried yoga, as it is important for people to understand that yoga is not only reserved for young, supple and athletic people.
‘The beauty of yoga is that it is accessible and beneficial to everyone, regardless of whether you practice it religiously every day, or whether you attend one session. ln just one session, you will feel your mind clearing, your burdens lifting and your body becoming more in tune with itself.
‘I hope that every person joining in today will experience this, for I know that once you have tasted the experience of becoming more centered, you will want to pursue yoga with a renewed passion.’He said that Covid-19 has robbed people of the opportunity to practise yoga side by side.
‘I want to encourage those who fell out of the habit of practising regular yoga, to fall back into it, because this is a time for healing both the physical and psychological wounds of Covid. Having said that, however, I must also point out that yoga became a lifeline for many people as well, during the past two years of lockdowns and restrictions throughout the world.
The practice of yoga, as I said, has a wonderfully calming effect on the body and the mind. Because it can be practiced anywhere, by anyone, many people discovered yoga for the first time because of Covid.‘When gyms were closed, parks became spaces of communal exercise, and in public spaces throughout the world informal yoga classes blossonied. Now that the world is opening up again, opportunities for promoting yoga are again expanding. I must applaud Mr Ramlutchman for the remarkable endeavour he undertook.’