Geneva, June 21: In the first of its kind, indoor Yoga session was held at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Hall on the occasion of the fifth edition of International Yoga Day. According to a tweet by ANI, Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador, in New York said the indoor yoga session will reinforce values of cleaner, greener and sustainable future. "I hope this indoor yoga session in Gen Assembly hall,the first of its kind, will reinforce values of cleaner,greener and more sustainable future that all of you yogis are committed", Akbaruddin said.

On Thursday, the UNGA had adopted a resolution, proclaiming June 21 as the International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice. According to a report by Chinese media Xinhua, , the resolution said that the celebration is the embodiment of the unity of cultural heritage and centuries-long traditions, which plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples on the basis of mutual respect and the ideals of peace and good-neighborliness. International Day of Yoga 2019: Yogasanas for Beginners – How to Get Started.

International Yoga Day is celebrated on June 21.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the International Yoga Day celebration through a mega celebration in Ranchi, while Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and others participated in events across the country to celebrate the event.

To commemorate the special day, several programmes have been organized in different parts of the country and abroad with great enthusiasm. The theme of 5th International Yoga Day 2019 is "Climate Action". The word "Yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root 'yuj' meaning "to join", "to yoke" or "to unite". International Yoga Day 2019: How Yogasanas Get Their Names; Sanskrit Meanings Explained.

Yoga is based on an extremely subtle science which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. The first International Day of Yoga was observed all over the world on June 21, 2015, when over 30,000 people including Prime Minister Modi performed yoga at the Rajpath in New Delhi.

The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by Prime Minister Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 27 September 2014.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2019 09:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).