International Day of Yoga, and The Art of Living
On 11 December 2014 the United Nations named 21 June the International Day of Yoga. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar led the inaugural event at UN Headquarters in New York with millions joining from 132 countries.
45 yrsTeaching yoga since 1981
11,000+Yoga teachers
182Countries
100 cr+Lives touched across Art of Living programmes since 1981
There is World Toilet Day, but no World Yoga Day. We will write to the UN to recognise 21 June as World Yoga Day
~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Origins of The International Day of Yoga
A legacy spanning four decades.
At the International Yoga Summit held at The Art of Living International Centre in 2011, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shared the stage with global yoga leaders and gave a call to the UN to declare 21 June as World Yoga Day.
On World Health Day, 7 April 2012, Art of Living held its first national Yogathon in India. Over 1.3 million people took part. The following year the Yogathon went international, with participation from more than 25 nations. On 14 December 2014, three days after the UN adopted Resolution 69/131, the Yogathon in India alone drew more than 1.8 million participants.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar serves as Chairperson of the Indian Yoga Association, and has led International Day of Yoga observances at the principal venues across the world.
Yoga is not just about twisting the body and holding the breath. It is about being one with yourself and with the universe, and that is what we carry into every city, every village, every corner of this world.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Where Gurudev Has Led the Day
- 2015 Inaugurated the first International Day of Yoga at the UN Headquarters, New York
- 2016 Led the second observance at the European Parliament, Brussels
- 2018 Returned to the European Parliament, and also led observances at Museumplein in Amsterdam and in Helsinki
- 2019 Led International Day of Yoga celebrations in Moscow
- 2023 Led celebrations at the Embassy of India, Zagreb
- 2024 Led the tenth-anniversary observance at the United Nations in Geneva
The Biggest Celebration Yet.
- 9.52 lakh+ participants across 3,244 locations
- 9.01 lakh+ in India • 51,080+ internationally
- 1,28,467 participants at the record 28 km Visakhapatnam yoga event
- Celebrations across 29 States & Union Territories
2025
Across Every Corner of India.
- 9,09,584+ lives touched across India
- 8,85,499+ national participants • 29,663+ international participants
- 2,900+ locations • 1,00,000+ online Yoga Challenge participants
2024
UN Headquarters - Global Stage.
- 4 lakh+ participants
- 29 entities • 250 cities • 180 countries
- Art of Living teacher led yoga at the UN headquarters in New York alongside PM Modi
- Events in Brampton, Brussels, Pattaya, Bahrain, Jakarta, South Africa
2023
The Return - Post-Lockdown.
- 30 lakh participants
- 781 locations • 33 national entities
- Iconic venues: Gateway of India, Statue of Unity, Sardar Sarovar Dam
- International presence at Eiffel Tower, Niagara Falls, Museum of Future, Panhellenic Stadium
2022
Online with the World.
- 123 countries • Times Square
- 750 Assam Rifles members from 29 states
- Millions joined Gurudev online from 123 countries
- Himachal Pradesh State event • NIRD & PR participation
- World Yoga Skills Competition with NSDC and B&WSSC
2021
Pandemic Did Not Stop Yoga.
- 39,86,289 participants
- Online with 4 million people
- Surya Namaskar Challenge across 748 locations
- Corporate partnerships: Huawei, L&T, Tata Projects, Schindler, Decathlon
2020
Moscow to Mumbai.
- 2,89,086 participants
- 22 locations
- Gurudev led yoga in Moscow
- Limca Book of Records attempt - 8,601 participants
- Corporate Yoga in 200 companies including Kotak Bank, BYJU'S, Decathlon
2019
Europe and Beyond.
- 2,000 locations • 90 countries
- Gurudev at European Parliament Brussels, Museumplein Amsterdam, Helsinki
- Decathlon hosted Sri Sri Yoga across all 61 stores
- YES Bank sponsored 200 course venues
2018
Deep Roots.
- 784 Yog Shivirs • 1.78 lakh beneficiaries
- 1,200 schools
- Odisha Yoga Mahotsav in Bhubaneswar
- 21 Yoga centres operated in Assam under the Ministry of Ayush
- Yoga taught in 1,200 UP Government Secondary Schools
2017
Scale Expands.
- 5.67 lakh people reached
- 156 countries • 6 continents
- 1,110 Yog Shivirs
- Sun Never Sets on Yoga - 139 venues across 22 Indian states, 67 countries
2016
Where It All Began.
- 50 million participants
- 132 countries • 6 continents • 88 cities
- Art of Living co-convened the inaugural International Day of Yoga
- 850 Yog Shivirs • 4 lakh people in free workshops
2015
Three ways to be part of 21 June
All of them are free, and all of them assume you are starting from nothing.
Join the 21-day free challenge
A free guided challenge beginning 21 June, with morning and evening sessions to choose from. Mornings cover Surya Namaskar, evenings are discourses on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras with no physical exertion.
Find a free session near you
Art of Living centres worldwide run open public sessions on the morning of 21 June, in parks, community grounds and civic spaces, taught by certified Sri Sri Yoga teachers.
Practise at home
If you would rather begin quietly, learn the Common Yoga Protocol before you join the global practice on the day from wherever you are.
Depth of training
In Visakhapatnam alone, our team trained 1,035 instructors in Common Yoga Protocol over 30 days - before a single participant arrived.
Institutional trust
From the Governor’s House in Bihar to the High Court of Patna to Indian Coast Guard stations - our events are trusted at the highest levels of public life.
Teacher network
Thousands of certified teachers across 156 countries don’t just organize - they show up, session after session, year after year.
Inclusive reach
From SSRVM school students to prison inmates to 10,000+ participants in online sessions - no door is closed to the practice of yoga.
One day a year, built on work done every day
International Day of Yoga is visible for one morning. The capacity behind it is permanent.
Sri Sri School of Yoga, founded by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is among India's leading yoga institutions. It is recognised by the Ministry of AYUSH, the Indian Yoga Association and Yoga Alliance (USA), where it has been a Registered Yoga School since 2010, and was among the first schools certified under the Quality Council of India's yoga certification scheme.
Before IDY 2025, Art of Living teams trained 1,035 instructors in the Common Yoga Protocol over thirty days so that every compartment on that 28 kilometre stretch of beach had someone who knew the sequence, the counts and the corrections. That was possible because the training system was already running.
- Ministry of AYUSH
- Indian Yoga Association
- Quality Council of India
- Yoga Alliance USA
Daily Online Yoga Subscription
Live online classes every day with certified Sri Sri Yoga teachers, for anyone who wants a practice that continues past June.
See how it worksSri Sri Yoga Classes
Ten hours over four to six days at a centre near you, covering asanas, pranayama and meditation.
Find a class200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
The Yoga Alliance registered training that certified many of the teachers on this page. Online, residential at the Bengaluru ashram, or in Rishikesh and Dharamshala.
Explore the trainingInternational Day of Yoga, answered
When is International Day of Yoga?
International Day of Yoga is observed every year on 21 June. It was established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 69/131, adopted on 11 December 2014 with a record 175 co-sponsoring member states, and first observed on 21 June 2015.
What is the significance of International Day of Yoga?
The International Day of Yoga is a time for all of us to look inwards and find our inner strength to combat the crisis the world is going through today. Whether you can barely touch your toes, or strike some more advanced poses and know the Patanjali Yoga Sutras by heart, this International Day of Yoga calls for all of us to come together to celebrate our body, mind and soul, our universality and our humanity. The true significance of the International Day of Yoga lies in its representation of a global awakening of human consciousness, extending far beyond physical postures.
Who inaugurated the first International Day of Yoga at the United Nations?
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living, inaugurated the first International Day of Yoga celebrations at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 21 June 2015.
What is the Art of Living's role in International Yoga Day?
The Art of Living has organised International Day of Yoga programmes every 21 June since 2015 through more than 10,000 centres in 182 countries, delivered by certified Sri Sri Yoga teachers working across 156 countries. Its founder has personally led observances at the United Nations in New York and Geneva and at the European Parliament in Brussels.
How can I join International Day of Yoga with the Art of Living?
Do I need prior experience to join a session?
No. Art of Living International Day of Yoga sessions follow the Common Yoga Protocol, which is designed so that a complete beginner can join without preparation. Sessions are suitable for children above 14 years of age and all healthy adults.
I am recovering from an illness. Can I still take part?
Is yoga connected to any religion?
No. Yoga originated in India but is not the property of any religion. It is a practical method for physical and mental wellbeing, available to people of every faith and of none.
Are Art of Living International Day of Yoga sessions free?
Yes. Both the public International Day of Yoga sessions and the 21-day online yoga challenge are free of cost.