Sushma Swaraj to celebrate International Yoga Day in Brussels

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will celebrate the International Day of Yoga at an event to be held in the European Parliament here on June 21 in the presence of EP President Antonio Tajani, it was announced on Tuesday.

Shri Shri Ravishankar will lead a session on yoga at that event.

"One of the special reasons for her coming to be here on these days is because she wants to be in Brussels on the International Day of Yoga," Indian Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union Gaitri Issar Kumar told a news conference at the Indian embassy.

"For us it is a very big honour that our External Affairs Minister who is one of the seniormost leaders of our country has decided that out of the whole word she wants to celebrate Yoga Day in Brussels," she said.

The envoy noted that Belgium has had a special interest in yoga and that Belgians have embraced yoga in a very serious way. Several cities of Belgium including Brussels will celebrate the international yoga day by holding a series of events on June 24.

Kumar thanked Celine Fremault, Minister of Housing, Environment, and Energy of the Brussels Capital Region Government who was present at the press conference for her support in promoting yoga in Brussels.

Meanwhile, Sushma Swaraj will be meeting EU and Belgian leaders during her 3-day stay in the Belgian capital.

The Indian Ambassador said that both EU and India have agreed to expand their relations beyond just trade to a whole range of issues.

"This year we are working on a further consolidation of friendship and cooperation with the whole EU," she stressed.

--IANS

nawab/vd