International Yoga Day was celebrated across the Maldives yesterday, with more than 700 participants taking part in events.
Observed annually on June 21, this year’s International Yoga Day activities were spread across various regions of the country. This marks the first time the day has been celebrated with such large-scale participation across the Maldives.
The theme for this year’s Yoga Day was "Yoga for Healthy Aging." This year marked the 12th international observance of the day, which was also commemorated in the Maldives last year.
The celebrations in the Maldives took place despite previous vocal opposition from several high-ranking government officials, who have characterized yoga as an act of polytheism (shirk).
In 2022, protests and unrest broke out during Yoga Day celebrations held at the Galolhu National Stadium, with critics arguing that yoga exercises are derived from Hindu religious rituals.
During that event, a group stormed the stadium while activities were underway and attacked some of the participants. Following the incident, the state pressed charges against several religious scholars for allegedly inciting discord and violence; however, those charges were later withdrawn.
