Indian Cultural Exchange Festival: Hanoians Perform Mass Yoga, Try-out Sari

	Long An: Strengthening People-To-People Exchanges Between Vietnam And India
	Fourth Joint Committee Held to Review ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement

Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center (SVCC), under the Embassy of India in Vietnam, organized the program Indian Cultural Exchange Festival on June 1 at the Hanoi-based Vietnamese Women's Museum, The Hanoi Times reported.

It's an event celebrating the 10th International Yoga Day (June 21) and International Children's Day (June 1).

The festival began with a Basic Yoga Protocol Ensemble program with nearly 100 members under the guidance of an international yoga instructor from SVCC. Those who have been practicing yoga for a long time as well as those who are beginners can participate.

Participants also had the opportunity to try the traditional Indian sari, traditional Indian cuisine and henna body painting.

100 yoga enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the 10th International Yoga Day. Photo: VNA

According to Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Director of the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, International Yoga Day encourages people around the world to become aware of the benefits of yoga for both physical and mental health.

"Yoga helps bring people together, inspires positive living, raises awareness of personal health, and also provides peace of mind and balance in life. This is the first time that the museum is honored to welcome people to participate in such a meaningful event, the mass yoga performance program," said Tuyet.

Celebrating two significant events - International Day of Yoga and International Children's Day in one day, the organizers emphasized the importance of educating the younger generation about healthy lifestyles. It would be achieved not only through physical exercises but also by developing, understanding and respecting different cultural values.

"We hope our event will help build a cultural bridge between Vietnam and India. Mutual understanding and respect are the strong foundation for strengthening friendly relations between the peoples of the two countries," said Tuyet.

Visitors to Indian Cultural Exchange Festival event in Hanoi find interested in henna painting. Photo: VNA

SVCC Director Monica Sharma said yoga is an ancient Indian practice drawn from the Sanskrit word "union," signifying unity between a person's body, mind (or consciousness), and surroundings (nature). Physically, yoga enhances strength with flexibility of body parts, improved functioning of the nervous system, and blood circulation. Mentally, it strengthens coordination between mind (thought) and body (action), and improves consciousness and overall well-being as an individual.

“United Nations recognized yoga as a holistic approach to health and well-being. United Nations acknowledged the dissemination of the benefits of practicing yoga as a contribution to the health of the world population. United Nations invited all individuals and countries to observe International Day of Yoga and raise awareness about the benefits of practicing yoga,” she said.

She appreciated the museum organizing the event, especially when the Government of India gave the theme for IDY this year as Yoga for Women Empowerment.

Sari, also known as Saree, originated from the Indian subcontinent, is now considered a famous traditional outfit. Photo: Vietnamese Women's Museum

It's an event celebrating the 10th International Yoga Day and International Children's Day. Photo: Vietnamese Women's Museum

Indian Tourists To Vietnam Hits Record Number The "Tourism Trends 2024: Breaking Boundaries" by Mastercard's Institute of Economics shared that the number of Indian tourists to Vietnam increased by 248% over the ...

Vietnam Ready to Unlock More Opportunities to Attract Large Indian Corporations Vietnam is ready to create favorable conditions for large Indian corporations to invest and cooperate, said the Prime Minister.