As part of the continuing ten city 3^rd International Day of Yoga (IDY) curtain raiser series in the Eastern China Region, a second curtain raiser IDY event was jointly organized by Consulate General of India, Shanghai along with Huzhou Municipal People’s Government today.

2.     The second curtain raiser event to 3^rd IDY was organized at Moon Square Lakeside Scenic Area in Huzhou city and nearly 1000 yoga lovers participated in the Yoga celebrations. It may be noted that in the Eastern China Region, Huzhou, became the second city to host the curtain raiser event to the 3^rd  IDY, which would be celebrated across ten cities in Eastern China from 17 – 25 June – as per schedule enclosed.

3.    Giving the inaugural address at the IDY launch, Mr. Ge Wei, Vice Chairman of Huzhou CPPCC, welcomed the introduction of Yoga into Huzhou and stated that with the overall deepening of ties between Huzhou and India, and given that a large number of Yoga clubs were present in Huzhou, the city would become the second home for Yoga practitioners from Eastern China. Huzhou city leadership also announced that for the next five years, Huzhou would be taking the lead in hosting mass public yoga events to mark the IDY celebrations.

4.     An MoU was also signed between Indian Yoga Institute - KYM (Krishnamachargya Yoga Mandiram) and Huzhou Taihu Tourism Resort to promote training of yoga through Indian teachers on a long term basis in Huzhou city.

5.    Consulate General of India Shanghai had arranged through local resources a Chinese speaking Indian Yoga teacher, who conducted the Yoga session for the nearly 1000 Yoga practitioners, based on the Common Yoga Protocol sent by the Department of AYUSH. The event was extremely well received by the large number of Yoga follower community in Huzhou.

6.    It may be noted that in the Eastern China region of Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, 3^rd IDY celebrations are being organized by CGI Shanghai from 17 - 25 June, one day each across ten cities in ECR, with theme of “Ten cities, Ten Days, Bringing together 15000 Yoga Lovers closer to India – promoting healthy and harmonious lifestyles”!

7.      Each of the venues chosen in the ten cities, i.e. Huzhou (was held today), Wuyi (held yesterday), Zhenjiang, Lishui, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Suqian, Taizhou and Wuxi, will be at prestigious open public spaces with participation from atleast 1000 people at each venue. The grand finale will be held on 25 June 2017 in Wuxi at the foothills of the scenic Lingshan Temple, where nearly 10000 Yoga Lovers are expected to participate in a record setting event in mainland China.

8.     It may be noted that Huzhou city leadership recently visited India in April 2017 to forge deeper economic and cultural cooperation. Huzhou also hosted the India Culture Week and India China Business Forum in the second half of 2016.  As such the 2^nd curtain raiser to 3^rd IDY Event along with the signing of MoU to promote institutional long term cooperation in Yoga today, is expected to give a boost to further deepening of all-round cooperation with Huzhou city.

Huzhou (Zhejiang)

20 May 2017

Enclosure :

i)            Schedule of 3^rd IDY &