Yoga's universal popularity demonstrates its appeal to people from all walks of life: Tony Abbott

Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Sunday expressed his country's delight to be part of the International Yoga Day celebrations, adding that the discipline's universal popularity demonstrates its appeal to people from all walks of life.

"For thousands of years, yoga has provided its followers with a guide to bringing their mind, body and spirit into balance. The International Day of Yoga is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the benefits of yoga. Yoga's universal and growing popularity demonstrates its appeal to people from all walks of life and its great potential to foster better health among individuals and populations around the world. I commend the honourable Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, and the High Commission of India in Australia, for their efforts to share this valuable and ancient discipline with the global community," Abbott's message read.

"Australia is delighted to be part of the inaugural International Day of Yoga. In communities right around our country, tens of thousands of Australians have embraced yoga as part of their daily health and exercise routine. Australia and India share a language, a heritage and a history, and events like this are an opportunity to further strengthen the warm ties between our two countries," his message added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick start the much-awaited International Yoga Day celebrations from Rajpath in the national capital today.

The Prime Minster is expected to arrive at Rajpath at 6.40 a.m., following which he will give an introductory speech before participating in the 35-minute demonstration of yogic postures. This is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m., and it is expected that over 40,000 people are expected to participate.

Besides, about two billion people across the globe are expected to participate in the inaugural day of the event.

The yoga celebrations are being organised after the United Nations had in December last year declared June 21 as International Yoga Day, with 177 countries voting in favour.

The proposal was mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the UN General Assembly last year.