United Nations declares June 21 International Day of Yoga

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations on Thursday declared that June 21 will be International Day of Yoga, adopting a measure proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said yoga lets people "discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature."

The 193-member U.N. General Assembly approved by consensus a resolution establishing a day to commemorate the ancient practice, which Modi called for in September during his inaugural address to the world body.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the International Day of Yoga would bring attention to yoga's holistic benefits.

"Yoga can contribute to resilience against non-communicable diseases. Yoga can bring communities together in an inclusive manner that generates respect," Ban said in a statement.

"Yoga is a sport that can contribute to development and peace. Yoga can even help people in emergency situations to find relief from stress," he said.