11th International Day of Yoga

Acting Consul-General of India, Mr Sushil Goel; distinguished guests; yoga practitioners.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here this morning.

It gives me great pleasure to host this event to mark the 11^th International Day of Yoga with you here at the Fernberg Estate. Visitors to this place are not in the habit of bending, stretching and lunging, but you might be surprised to hear this is not the first time it has happened! This time last year, we held a very successful yoga event here in partnership with my patronage organisation, Health and Wellbeing Queensland, which shares my commitment to promoting a healthy and active Queensland.

I look forward to sharing this morning with you and embracing the restorative power of this ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice, which as you know originated in India. Although yoga has existed for centuries, its recognition as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2014 has helped raise global awareness of its benefits for our overall health and wellbeing.

This year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” invites us to reflect on the connection between caring for our own wellbeing and caring for the planet. After all, the two are deeply intertwined. When we invest in our physical and mental health, we cultivate the clarity and resilience needed to be mindful stewards of the Earth.

Yoga, of course, is a powerful antidote to physical inactivity—one of the top 10 leading causes of death globally—but it offers far more than physical benefits. At its heart, yoga fosters harmony between body and mind, bringing a sense of calm and balance to our daily lives. The popularity of yoga continues to grow not only here in our own beautiful state of Queensland but around the globe.

I would like to thank the Consulate General of India here in Brisbane, and particularly the Consul-General herself, Ms Neetu Bhagotia, who could not be with us today––but is ably represented by Mr Goel, for your efforts in organising this event.

It is not only a wonderful use of this fantastic, publicly owned property, but also serves as a potent reminder of the importance of actively taking care of our health and fostering harmony in our lives.

Thank you and please enjoy this morning’s yoga session!