Lima, Peru—The idea for an international day of yoga was proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014. In December 2014, the General Assembly approved the proposal and proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.
UPF-Peru celebrated the International Day with Gran Fraternidad Universal (Great Universal Brotherhood), a UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) non-governmental organization founded in Venezuela in 1948 by French astrologer, Dr. Serge Raynaud de la Ferriere.
At UPF-Peru’s office, members of the organization in Lima joined Ambassadors for Peace for a forum and yoga demonstration. The main speaker was Dr. Carlos Alberto Yrogoyen, a lifelong student of yoga. He shared how he first encountered this spiritual practice and how it became the core of his life.
Dr. Isabel Rodriguez then shared some concrete examples of how she uses yoga in her work as a psychologist and lifestyle coach in Peru’s Ministry of Sport.
Thereafter, two yoga experts demonstrated yoga poses, which was followed by a guided meditation.
The forum concluded with a musician sharing how he uses different musical instruments, especially traditional Peruvian pipes and flutes, to do therapeutic work.
This celebration was an enjoyable start to what will no doubt become an annual celebration of the art of yoga for UPF-Peru.