From Himalayas to Sydney Opera House, yoga unites world: PM Modi

Visakhapatnam: Yoga leads people on a path of oneness with the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. “International Yoga Day marks the moment when inner peace begins to shape global policy,” he added.

Addressing the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam, Modi recalled that when India proposed June 21 as International Yoga Day at the United Nations, 175 countries supported the initiative in a short span of time. “Today, 11 years later, Yoga has become an integral part of the lives of crores of people across the globe,” he said.

“Whether at the Sydney Opera House, on Mount Everest or across the oceans, the message is clear—yoga is for everyone,” Modi said.

Amid global unrest, he urged the world to embrace "Yoga for Humanity 2.0," calling for a renewed commitment to inner peace as a shared global value. “Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of a world where inner peace becomes a global policy,” he added.

The Prime Minister described yoga as a discipline that transcends boundaries of geography, age, background, or ability. “Yoga is not only a personal practice but a transformative system that takes us from 'Me to We'. It’s the pause button humanity needs to breathe, reflect, and regain balance,” he said.

Modi later joined volunteers on the ground to perform yoga asanas.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also addressed the gathering. He praised the Prime Minister for turning yoga into a global wellness movement. “Thanks to Modi ji's vision, yoga is now celebrated in over 175 countries, across 12 lakh locations, with the participation of more than 10 crore people,” Naidu said.