Yoga Day prep stresses youth participation
World Yoga Day
is being marked by two campaigns. 'Yoga Unplugged' is aimed at youth participation in the event, while 'Harit Yoga', focuses on environmental sustainability.
Yoga Day is on Jun 21 but is marked by week-long activities in the state.
A major initiative will be to popularise yoga as a way of life, for which yoga parks are being developed across the state, with participation of local bodies such as municipalities and gram panchayats.
A govt spokesperson said three yoga parks will be developed in districts with divisional headquarters and two in all other districts. District magistrates have been instructed to identify suitable sites, formulate plans in coordination with department of urban development and forward plans to govt.
"Each park will be developed with a green, clean and peaceful environment, accessible to all sections of society. The parks will include facilities such as trained yoga instructors, open gyms, resting spaces, clean drinking water and adequate lighting. The aim is to create inclusive public spaces where citizens of all ages, including senior citizens, women and youth, can gather for regular yoga practice," the official said.
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Meanwhile, under 'Yoga Unplugged', govt will organise creative, competitive and social media-driven events to ensure youth participation. The campaign is being run across govt AYUSH colleges, vocational training institutes, universities, and degree colleges in a bid to reach out to students directly. Events under the programme will include elocution contests on benefits of yoga and mental well-being, live yoga demonstrations by students showcasing various asanas and meditation techniques, rangoli, debate and poster-making contests highlighting relevance of yoga, award ceremonies to honour top performers at the state level and social media promotion of events, visuals and results using hashtags like #YogaUnplugged.
Harit Yoga campaign will strive to bring together discipline of yoga with conservation of nature, spreading the idea that "true yoga is harmony of self-discipline and environmental protection". The message will be reinforced through open-air yoga sessions at scenic natural sites like riverbanks, lakesides, parks, and Amrit Sarovars, plantation drives at every yoga gathering, cleanliness campaigns before and after yoga events by students and local residents, and community involvement through participation by panchayats, local bodies, NSS/NCC cadets and school children.
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