Socio-cultural event in Novo Mesto: Surya Festival of Yoga and Wellness

Our Pilot site in Novo Mesto, the Olympic Centre became a hub of tranquility and health on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, as it hosted the Surya Festival of Yoga and Wellness in cooperation with the Embassy of India. This event, part of a nationwide initiative by the Embassy, drew numerous citizens to the Centre, offering a free guided yoga session under the velodrome’s shelter, providing respite from the rain.

Welcoming the participants were Namrata S. Kumar, Ambassador of the Republic of India, Ana Seliškar, head of the Novo Mesto Olympic Centre, and Urban Kramar, Deputy Mayor of Novo Mesto. They also encouraged attendees to explore the Centre’s swimming pool and the newly established trim track in Češča vas (Visionary Solution 2).

Ambassador Kumar expressed admiration for the Olympic Centre, which, within the framework of the VARCITIES project, previously hosted the Indian sprint velodrome team in the fall of 2021.

For the third consecutive year, the Municipality of Novo Mesto responded to the Embassy of India’s invitation, allowing its citizens to participate in the Surya Festival of Yoga and Wellness. This event runs across Slovenia from June 11 to 21 in celebration of the International Day of Yoga, held annually on June 21. This day was first proposed by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN in 2014 to encourage a healthy lifestyle and holistic well-being through yoga.

This year’s festival theme, “Yoga for Women Empowerment,” marks the 10th anniversary of International Day of Yoga. The celebration aims to transform yoga into a widespread movement, focusing on women’s well-being and promoting global health and peace.

Discover more about Novo Mesto’s Pilot on their Pilot page.