A variety of partners joined together yesterday to celebrate the 9th International Yoga Day event.

The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), in collaboration with the Embassy of India, organised the event at the Olympic Stadium with more than 700 people taking part.

Chea Kosal, secretary of state of the Ministry of Tourism, said yesterday that yoga is a universally popular exercise around the world. It provides health benefits to practitioners of all ages.

Yoga programmes are supported by public health insurance. Generally, yoga creates a solid foundation for normal mental and physical health.

Yoga keeps a person calm and is essential for stimulating social harmony for families and communities.

He added that yoga is renowned over the world, including Cambodia.

He firmly believes that beyond the obvious health benefits for humanity, yoga not only strengthens diplomatic relations between nations, but will also draw tourists and will inspire investors to work in Cambodia in the future.

Kosal also warmly congratulated and thanked the Ambassador of India to Cambodia Dr Devyani Khobragade over the fruitful and successful event.

“I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Government of the Republic of India, especially the Embassy of India, for its close and continuous cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism in developing and promoting joint tourism, especially for the Yoga Day International held annually since 2015,” he said.

Sok Sabayna, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport, said yesterday that the MoEYS actively promotes sports and the well-being of the people following Prime Minister Hun Sen’s statement, “A person plays at least one sport for life”.

He also congratulated the 9th International Yoga Day as an event which contributes to help young people train regularly – either at home or in a gym – and get motivated to participate in sports activities.

Dr Devyani said that international yoga events are held around the world and celebrated with great joy. Yoga is an art that brings about perfect harmony between the human mind, nature, and universal awareness.

She added that yoga improves flexibility, especially its range of motion, by stretching and moving the body in new ways.

Dr Devyani noted that yoga reduces stress and anxiety by encouraging mental and physical relaxation while promoting better sleep by calming and relaxing the body.

She also thanked the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, and many other institutions which had helped to make the 9th International Yoga Day a resounding success.