Tashkent [Uzbekistan], September 17 (ANI): The 7th International Conference on Yoga, and the first ever in Central Asia, was inaugurated on Wednesday in Tashkent under the theme ‘Yoga for One Earth One Health’. The event was organised by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) in partnership with the Embassy of India, Tashkent, and the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan, according to an official statement by the Embassy.
The conference was inaugurated in the presence of Artikhodjaev Jahongir Abidovich, Chairman of the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan; Momindjanov Sharifjon Fuzailovich, Adviser from the Ministry of Sports, Government of Uzbekistan; Ambassador of India Smita Pant; Deputy Director General (ICCR) Abhay Kumar; and representatives from the Ministry of AYUSH. Renowned yoga expert and spiritual teacher SRI M delivered the keynote address on ‘Yoga and Consciousness.’
Ambassador Smita Pant highlighted the growing popularity of Yoga in Uzbekistan and offered India’s support for teacher training and capacity building. She also noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) recognises the physical and mental benefits of Yoga. DDG Abhay Kumar stated that this is the first time ICCR is organising an international Yoga conference in Central Asia, with participation from 10 Eurasian countries, aiming to promote Yoga among the younger generation in Uzbekistan and the region.
SRI M, in his keynote, remarked, “Yoga is the perfect vehicle to explore the multi-dimensional entity called consciousness in general, in Sanskrit-Chetna.”
The two-day conference will see participation from India, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Armenia, Mongolia, and Russia. The program includes an interactive plenary session on ‘Integrating Yoga into Traditional and Modern Healthcare Systems’, panel discussions on Yoga’s current status, challenges, opportunities, benefits in treating chronic health conditions, latest trends, innovations, and capacity building. Recommendations from the discussions will be shared with stakeholders across participating countries.
The International Yoga Conference is an annual flagship event of ICCR, with previous editions held in New York (2018), London (2019), New Delhi (2021), Seoul (2022), Meinberg, Germany (2023), and Durban (2024). (ANI)
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