On 27 August 2026, the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Beijing hosted the “Yoga for Healthy Living” event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the SCO. The event was initiated and organised by the Embassy of the Republic of India in the People’s Republic of China with the support of the SCO Secretariat.
In his address to the participants, Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev highlighted the importance of the humanitarian dimension of the SCO’s activities, noting that over the past quarter of a century, the SCO has become an important platform for multilateral cooperation, bringing together states, peoples and cultures across the Eurasian space.
The Secretary-General noted India’s contribution to the development of humanitarian ties within the SCO. He emphasised that yoga sessions at the Secretariat have become a good tradition. In 2022, the Embassy of India and the SCO Secretariat held an “office yoga” session, while in 2024, the International Day of Yoga took place.
Nurlan Yermekbayev recalled the words from the ancient treatise Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: “Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind,” noting that they reflect the profound meaning of this practice — the pursuit of inner harmony and balance, as well as unity of body and spirit.
Angelina Premalatha, Permanent Representative of India to the SCO Secretariat, highlighted in her speech the importance of yoga as a practice that promotes a healthy lifestyle, physical and inner balance, as well as its universal nature and accessibility to people of different ages.
Representatives of the diplomatic corps of the “SCO community” took part in the event, joining a group yoga session, learning about Ayurvedic traditions and tasting Indian cuisine.
The International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on 21 June. It was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014 at the initiative of India. The Day aims to promote yoga as a practice contributing to health, physical and spiritual well-being.
