Dutch defence minister to join International Yoga Day celebrations

Dutch Defence Minister Ank Bijleveld will join International Yoga Day celebrations being organised online by the Indian embassy here on Sunday.

In a message sent on the occasion, Bijleveld thanked India for the gift of yoga and said the Dutch Armed Forces have been doing yoga for over 15 years.

They have over 130 yoga instructors in the Armed Forces, a statement issued by the Indian embassy on Saturday said.

The celebrations will witness a workshop by representatives of Dutch Army and Police as well as an impressive line-up of Dutch and Indian Dignitaries, it said.

A special highlight will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Yoga Day Message and 3D animated images of him doing yoga, the statement said.

The programme will include messages by Ambassador of India to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony, ‘Yoga at Home, Yoga with Family’- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Stillness in Action through Yoga - Ank Bijleveld, Dutch Minister of Defence and ‘Rejuvenate yourself through Yoga’ by renowned spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, it said.

The online celebrations will commence at 1100 hours CET (Central European Time) on June 21 and will be streamed to over 1,45,000 followers of the Embassy’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels as well as on the websites of the Embassy and Stichting International Yoga Day (a non-profit foundation), the statement said.

The IYD programme will also include ‘Enrich Yourself Through Yoga’ - Yoga Demonstration by Royal Netherlands Army and Dutch National Police and ‘Yoga … is a great way to become aware of who we are’ by Wim Hof, Ice Man, Dutch Extreme Athlete, it said.

“My Life, My Yoga” messages from Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood Actor; Shilpa Shetty, Bollywood Actress and cricketer Virat Kohli, will also be part of the Yoga Day programme.