Yoga in Daily Life and Indian Ambassador celebrate IDY together in Croatia

A celebration of International Day of Yoga was held in the Croatian city of Rijeka, at the seaside location of Molo Longo on 21st June 2019. This 5th annual celebration of IDY was organized by Yoga in Daily Life with support and sponsorship from the Indian Embassy and Rijeka City Council. The event this year was included in the 'Rijeka – Healthy City' project and the national 'Living Healthy' program of the Croatian Public Health Institute.

Practitioners were welcomed by the Ambassador of India to Croatia, His Excellency Arindam Bagchi and the Mayor of Rijeka, Mr Vojko Obersnel, plus Prof. Dr Ante Simonić, former Dean of the Faculty of the Medical University of Rijeka and Mr Jadran Mandekić, head of the 'Rijeka – Healthy City' project.

H.E. Bagchi expressed his delight to be in the city of Rijeka, which joined the celebration of IDY with thousands of cities all over the world. He emphasized that the benefits of regularly practicing yoga lead us towards health and balance, which is the aim of all people.

Mr Obersnel also emphasized that yoga has a great impact on physical and mental health and that he was glad that this IDY event was taking place in such a beautiful place on Molo Longo, near the sea, with a nice view to the city of Rijeka.

Prof. Dr. Simonić stated that yoga is a way to inner peace and inner balance, as well as to harmony with the environment. It is easy, it is free, and in this restless world, yoga offers the rare opportunity to find wisdom and inner balance.

The practice was guided by Maja Stošić (Gita) and more than a hundred practitioners performed asanas, the Bhari Khatu Pranam salutation and pranayama. At the end of the program, Pradeep Urs, yoga teacher from the Indian Embassy, explained and showed Shitali and Sitkari pranayama which is refreshing and calming especially during hot days.

The program was well covered by several media outlets.