More than 300 yogis in matching attire gathered together, forming graceful ribbons of color in the program celebrating the 12th International Day of Yoga (June 21).

The event, organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Embassy of India in Vietnam in coordination with the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee, drew leaders of provincial departments and agencies and local authorities, along with large numbers of residents and visitors.

This marks the 12th consecutive year that Lao Cai province has partnered with the Indian Embassy in Vietnam to hold this meaningful event. More than a purely sporting activity, it has become a bridge for cultural exchange, helping to consolidate and advance the traditional friendship and cooperation between the peoples of Vietnam and India in general, and between Lao Cai province and the Indian Embassy in Vietnam in particular.

This morning, the tennis grounds felt like a borderless “common home.” Over the nearly hour-long program, the highlight was a roughly 40-minute mass performance in which the participants radiated a calm, pure yet vibrant energy.

Do Thi The, Head of the Lao Cai Yoga Community, said: “Yoga is like my breath and my lifeblood. It brings me many positive values - connection, peace of mind, lasting health and more. This event is a chance for clubs to exchange and bond, spreading the yoga movement and helping improve health across the community.”

Do Thi The, Head of the Lao Cai Yoga Community.

Phan Thi Thanh Van, a yogi from Hanoi, expressed her joy at taking part in the mass yoga performance in Sa Pa. “Doing yoga poses amid Sa Pa's open landscape is a special and deeply moving experience,” she shared. “The air is fresh and the people are friendly; we feel at one with nature and free of all pressure.”

Phan Thi Thanh Van, a yogi from Hanoi.

This year's event drew its appeal not only from its scale - more than 300 participants from over 20 clubs within and beyond the province - but also from the lasting connections it fostered.

A representative of the Indian Embassy in Vietnam said: “We greatly appreciate Lao Cai province's coordination over the past 12 years. Yoga is India's gift to the world, and today, in Sa Pa, that gift has been embraced with deep respect - helping to further strengthen the profound bonds of friendship and solidarity between our two nations.”

Tshering Wangchuk Sherpa, representative of the Indian Embassy in Vietnam, speaks at the event.

Making the most of its natural advantages and distinctive climate, Sa Pa has for years been an ideal venue for such events. Dang Viet Dung, Standing Vice Chairman of the Sa Pa Ward People's Committee, said: “The event is a practical way to celebrate the International Day of Yoga, helping to promote community-based tourism, wellness and healing tourism, and opening opportunities to showcase a friendly, dynamic Sa Pa to visitors from home and abroad.”

Dang Viet Dung, Standing Vice Chairman of the Sa Pa Ward People's Committee, spoke at the event.

After the mass performance, the yogis relaxed with a group sound-healing bowl session - a highly effective practice for well-being that many yogis took part in.

The success of the 12th Yoga Day in Lao Cai reaffirms the spirit of sport in bringing communities together, while helping to nurture and further strengthen the enduring traditional friendship between Vietnam and India.

https://baolaocai.vn/sa-pa-ruc-ro-ngay-hoi-yoga-lan-thu-12-cau-noi-huu-nghi-viet-nam-an-do-post901178.html