Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center (SVCC), under the Embassy of India in Vietnam, organized the program Indian Cultural Exchange Festival on June 1 at the Vietnamese Women's Museum, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
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.
| The mass yoga performance. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
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.
| Director of SVCC Monica Sharma speaks at the event. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
Director of SVCC 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), 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.
Some photos of the festival:
| Indian dance performed by lecturers and dancers from SVCC. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
| The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has said that yoga belongs to the world and to mankind. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
| International Day of Yoga events are taking place in at least 35 cities and provinces of Vietnam this year. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
| Children paint at the festival. Vietnamese Women's Museum will organize other meaningful activities for children during summer holidays. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
| Indian handcrafted jewelry on display. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
| Indian souvenirs were displayed at the event. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
| A visitor tries her hand at henna painting. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
| Indian chef prepares pani puri for festival guests. It's an Indian street food made of crispy, hollow, fried dough balls (puri) stuffed with boiled potatoes or steamed beans. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
| Potato, onion, chickpea, coriander chutney stuffed crispy puri drenched in sour and spicy mint flavored sauce. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
