(VNF) - On June 21^st, the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City in coordination with the People's Committee; the Department of External Relations; the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; the Department of Health of Tien Giang Province and Ho Chi Minh City Yoga Sub Association organized the 3^rd International Day of Yoga in Tien Giang Province at My Tho Sports Center.

The event was attended by Vice Chairman of Tien Giang Province, Mr. Tran Thanh Duc; Director of Department of External Relations, Mr. Luu Van Phi and other senior representatives.

At the opening ceremony.

The event was held as part of the activities to mark the Vietnam-India Friendship Year, the 45^th anniversary of Vietnam-India diplomatic relations and the 10^th anniversary of strategic partnership between the two countries.

Speaking at the ceremony, Consul General Mrs. Smita Pant said that the natural beauty of My Tho City offered innate ambiance for Yoga and to experience harmony with nature.

Yoga has been even more popular worldwide since the United Nations General Assembly chose June 21^st as the International Yoga Day following the proposal of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Yoga enthusiasts from different walks of life and of all ages performed the Yoga protocol led by Shri Prakash Athrayil from Art of Living Foundation.

Earlier, the Embassy of India, Hanoi organised the International Day of Yoga celebrations in Hanoi, Vietnam on June 17^th at the Ly Thai To Square near the iconinc Hoan Kiem Lake in partnership with the People's Committee of Hanoi, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

Around 4000 yoga enthusiasts from different walks of life and of all ages performed the yoga protocol led by Mr. Selvarasu, Yoga Instructor at the Indian Cultural Centre, Hanoi and Vietnamese students of yoga class at the Indian Cultural Centre.

4000 yoga enthusiasts performed the yoga protocol at the Ly Thai To Square on June 17^th.

700 people performed the yoga protocol by the Da Nang beach on June 18^th.

Other localities also responded to the Yoga Day, including Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Phuc, Vinh city (Nghe An), Da Nang city, Nha Trang city (Khanh Hoa province), Long An province, Dong Nai province and Can Tho City./.

Translated by Minh Chau