Saudi sports ministry promotes yoga with participation of 11 Arab countries

Saudi Arabia's sports ministry has decided to hostan event to promote yoga and has invited 11 Arab countries to participate in it. The event "Arab Youth Empowerment Program" in the country's commercial capital Jeddah saw lectures and practical sessions on yoga. The country's first Yogacharinie and Padma Shri awardee Nouf AL-Marwaai gave a brief on the advantages of yoga to the participating delegates.

The event was organised in collaboration with the Saudi Yoga Committee and is the first-ever such attempt to promote yoga in other Arab societies as the Kingdom is seen liberalising rules under Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Nouf AL-Marwaai, president of the Saudi Yoga Committee, explained that the "participation of the Saudi Yoga Committee in a lecture and training workshop for Arab delegations within the Arab Youth Empowerment Program, confirms the Kingdom’s leadership in the practice of yoga at the regional level, and comes within the efforts of the Saudi Yoga Committee to transfer its expertise".

Countries whose delegations participated in the event were UAE, Oman, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Palestine, and Mauritania. The program that started on 22nd December, will continue till 30th December. All in all, the program aims to introduce Arab youth delegations to the sporting, cultural and recreational developments in the region, including yoga.

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Nouf, who is credited for introducing yoga in Saudi Arabia pointed out, "our mission is to increase the number of practitioners and motivate them to spread awareness and enthusiasm for its practice as a way of life for all segments of society, increase and encourage events and initiatives".