June 21 is International Day of Yoga

By a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 11, 2014, June 21 has been designated as the International Day of Yoga (IDY). The Prime Minister of India (and friend of Patria) Narendra Modi urged the world community to adopt an International Day of Yoga during an address to the UN General Assembly in 2014:

"Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being. Yoga is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with ourselves, the world and Nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us to deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day".

IDY will of course be celebrated throughout Patria, primarily with free yoga classes, held outdoors wherever possible, such as on the lawns of Castoropolis Common and other public municipal parks. Since the day falls on a Sunday in 2015, these events are expected to be well attended. Patria also encourages IDY to be celebrated on this day rather than Father's Day (which falls on the same day in 2015, i.e. the third Sunday in June). Patria opposes - and has even spearheaded efforts to ban - over-commercialized Hallmark holidays such as Mother's Day, Father's Day and especially Valentines Day. While perhaps not quite as over-commercialized as Mother's Day, Father's Day nonetheless deems men who have fathered children more valuable and more worthy of spending money on than those who have not. It also perpetuates gender-based stereotypes that all men want gifts of electronic toys or power tools.