YOGA GOING GLOBAL! Yoga has always paved its way into the international arena, primarily in Western countries.
However, this time it has entered into the Gulf countries as Saudi Arabia is set to introduce Yoga in its universities.
The decision was taken due to the significance of Yoga in physical and mental health. The announcement was made at a forum titled 'The Role of University Sports in Supporting the Kingdom's Vision in Sports' in the nation's capital of Riyadh. Several experts and international leaders were in attendance. It was organized by the Saudi Universities Sports Federation and the Ministry of Education.
Saudi Yoga Committee President Nouf Al-Marwaai said that various agreements will be signed with major universities in Saudi Arabia to promote Yoga over the next few months. She said that the decision was taken as part of achieving 'Vision 2030'.
She said that Yoga is not only for meditation and relaxation, it also includes a plethora of techniques like Asana posture practice, breathing techniques, muscle control, etc.
She concluded by saying that the committee will look to discover the talents of yoga practitioners in all types of Yoga Or Yogasana sports. They will look to groom their talents and support them so they can participate in local and international tournaments.
Saudi Vision 2030 is a framework to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependency on oil. The purpose is to diversify the economy and develop public sector services like sports, health, education, infrastructure, tourism, etc.
One of the most important pillars of Vision 2030 is to enhance participation in sports and to achieve sports excellence locally, continentally, and internationally.
(Input from various media sources)