International Day of Yoga at the UN in Geneva
The Brahma Kumaris in partnership with Permanent Mission of India to the UN in Geneva, marks International Day of Yoga with Impactful Celebrations at the European Headquarters of the UN, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
The International Day of Yoga, celebrated globally on 21 June, reached a landmark moment in Geneva this year. To commemorate its 11th anniversary, the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva invited the Brahma Kumaris, under the leadership of Sister Jayanti—Additional Administrative Head—to spearhead two transformative events at the Palais des Nations.
20 June: Emotional Self-Care in a World in Crisis – conversation with a yogiIn Room XVII, a packed crowd of around 450 participants, including ambassadors, diplomats and UN staff alongside leading figures in the Geneva community, gathered for a powerful and engaging conversation between Sister Jayanti and former BBC journalist Philippa Blackham. The conversation explored urgent questions around spiritual self-awareness as a tool for building resilience and mental well-being in these challenging times. The session was interspersed with three meditation experiences which took delegates into a deep experience of inner peace and calm.
Opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Mr Arindam Bagchi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India, who was joined by Ms Celeste Drake, Deputy Director-General of the ILO (International Labour Organisation), and Dr Yukiko Nakatani, Assistant Director-General of the WHO (World Health Organisation). They unanimously underscored the critical importance of emotional self-care in our turbulent times and praised the Brahma Kumaris for elevating this vital message at the UN platform.
After the event, H.E. Mr Arindam Bagchi invited Sister Jayanti to the Permanent Mission of India to meet with all the staff and their spouses. Sister Jayanti led an hour long conversation answering many questions related to practical meditation and deepening a connection with God. The staff have since extended an invitation to the Brahma Kumaris to especially come for Raksha Bandhan to the Mission.
21 June: A Transformative Yoga CelebrationThe powerful atmosphere created continued the following morning, with a vibrant International Day of Yoga session. The celebration was inaugurated by H.E. Mr Arindam Bagchi, along with Mr Daren Tang Heng Shim, Director General of WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation), and Ms Sylvie Briand, Chief Scientist of WHO (World Health Organisation). Sister Jayanti was invited to be the chief guest to lead the meditation experiences during the hour-long yoga session in which specially appointed yoga teachers guided participants into various asanas. Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of many Missions and countries were present and had the opportunity to meet Sister Jayanti before the event.
It was a holistic experience of:– Pranayama (breathing exercises)
– Om chanting, with powerful context and meaning by Sister Jayanti
– Ancient Raja Yoga meditation techniques guided by Sister Jayanti, alongside classic yoga postures, demonstrated by Art of Living practitioners
– Supported by Geneva’s leading yoga and meditation schools
– Ancient Raja Yoga meditation techniques guided by Sister Jayanti, alongside classic yoga postures, demonstrated by Art of Living practitioners
– Supported by Geneva’s leading yoga and meditation schools
Over 400 participants spread their yoga mats between the valley of the flags at the front of the main building, and absorbed themselves in a seamless fusion of yoga postures, breath-work, and meditation practices—a testament to India’s timeless wisdom and the universal need for inner harmony.
The staff of the Permanent Mission of India described the day as the best International Yoga Day they’ve seen in 11 years and other participants described the event as ‘celestial’ and ‘transformational’ with many leading dignitaries thanking Sister Jayanti for bringing such a spiritual energy to the Palais des Nations.
Photos:
20th June 2025 – Emotional Self-Care in a World in Crisis in Room XVII at the Palais des Nations – on stage dignitaries (from left to right): H.E. Mr Arindam Bagchi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India; Ananya Bagchi (spouse); Sr Jayanti, Additional Administrative Head, Brahma Kumaris; Ms Celeste Drake, Deputy Director-General of the ILO (International Labour Organisation); Dr Yukiko Nakatani, Assistant Director-General of the WHO (World Health Organisation).
21st June 2025 – International Day of Yoga on the grounds of The Palais des Nations. Speeches by dignitaries: H.E. Mr Arindam Bagchi (next to Sr Jayanti) and spouse Mrs Ananya Bagchi; Mr Daren Tang Heng Shim (far right), Director General of WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) and spouse Claire; Ms Sylvie Briand (next to H.E. Mr Arindam Bagchi), Chief Scientist of WHO (World Health Organisation); Ms Libya Grigoreva, Chef de Cabinet, Office of the Director-General, UNOG.(far left)
