United Nations: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday joined hundreds of students and yoga practitioners to perform asanas and mediate under the guidance of spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar during the first International Yoga Day celebrations. The UN chief was in full yoga mode as he wore a special tracksuit provided by the Indian mission to the UN for the commemoration at the world body's headquarters.
Ban was accompanied by his wife who also wore the yoga tracksuit. Following speeches by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and president of the UN General Assembly Sam Kutesa, Sri Sri took the stage and conducted a lengthy yoga session in which Ban excitedly participated.
India's Ambassador to the UN Asoke Mukerji and Ban's special advisor on Myanmar Vijay Namibiar, dressed in the special yoga tracksuit, also sat down on their yoga mats. Ban sportingly tried to stand on one leg, bend backwards and sideways, lay on the back and stomach as the spiritual leader asked the attendees to inhale and exhale and do various yoga postures.
He was visibly trying to not lose his balance as he raised his hand over his head and stretch and twist. His wife was sitting by his side. Ban had earlier expressed his excitement at the first Yoga Day during his meeting with Swaraj, saying the day has garnered "unprecedented" enthusiasm from people around the world.
Apart from the diplomats, around 50 school children who had specially flown in from India also did yoga during the event.
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