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<p>Saudi Arabia is set to introduce yoga in the major universities of the country. Several agreements in the pipeline will be signed with universities to support and promote yoga, according to Saudi Yoga Committee (SYC) President Nouf Al-Marwaai. SYC is a body under the Saudi Arabia Olympic Committee, Ministry of Sports.</p>

<p>The decision was taken at a forum titled “The Role of University Sports in Supporting the Kingdom’s Vision in Sports,” organised in the capital city of Riyadh where several experts and international leaders registered their presence, according to Arab News.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reflecting on the importance of yoga, SYC chief Al-Marwaai said the decision was taken as part of achieving Vision 2030.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Yoga gives its practitioners many health benefits (for) both physical and mental well-being. One of the most important pillars of achieving Vision 2030 is to enhance participation in sports activities, and to achieve sports excellence locally, continentally, and internationally," she was quoted as saying by Arab News.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Al-Marwaai added that the committee will aim to discover yoga talent in the country and hone their skills with the hope that they "represent the Kingdom in local and international tournaments".&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-exclusive-meet-the-woman-nouf-marwaai-who-brought-yoga-to-saudi-arabia-449046"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;WION Exclusive: Meet the woman, Nouf Marwaai, who brought yoga to Saudi Arabia</strong></a></p>

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<h2>Saudi Arabia's first yoga festival</h2>

<p>Notably, it was in January that Saudi Arabia's first yoga festival was organised.&nbsp;The event took place at Juman Park, King Abdullah Economic City in the city of Jeddah and saw the participation of a number of top Saudi yoga teachers including Marwa Khairudeen and Lana Nazer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Saudi Arabia, in 2022, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India for the establishment of a formal "yoga protocol (standards)" for the promotion of yoga in the country. This was the first such bilateral cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia on yoga. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabias-first-yoga-festival-organised-in-jeddah-449135" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Saudi Arabia's first yoga festival organised in Jeddah</strong></a></p>

<h3><strong>PM Modi's push for yoga</strong></h3>

<p>Ever since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, he has embarked on a mission to popularise yoga and its benefits on the global stage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He proposed<strong>&nbsp;</strong>June 21 as the date for Yoga Day at the United Nations, noting that it is the longest day of the year. He received overwhelming support from the member countries for his proposal and since then, June 21 is observed as International Yoga Day (IDY) around the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite reservations by a few countries that yoga is related to Hinduism, Saudi Arabia, one of the leaders of the Muslim world has wholeheartedly accepted the philosophy behind yoga.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Saudi Arabia is set to introduce yoga in the major universities of the country. Several agreements in the pipeline will be signed with universities to support and promote yoga, according to Saudi Yoga Committee (SYC) President Nouf Al-Marwaai.

Saudi Arabia is set to introduce yoga in the major universities of the country. Several agreements in the pipeline will be signed with universities to support and promote yoga, according to Saudi Yoga Committee (SYC) President Nouf Al-Marwaai. SYC is a body under the Saudi Arabia Olympic Committee, Ministry of Sports. The decision was taken at a forum titled “The Role of University Sports in Supporting the Kingdom’s Vision in Sports,” organised in the capital city of Riyadh where several experts and international leaders registered their presence, according to Arab News. Reflecting on the importance of yoga, SYC chief Al-Marwaai said the decision was taken as part of achieving Vision 2030. “Yoga gives its practitioners many health benefits (for) both physical and mental well-being. One of the most important pillars of achieving Vision 2030 is to enhance participation in sports activities, and to achieve sports excellence locally, continentally, and internationally," she was quoted as saying by Arab News. Al-Marwaai added that the committee will aim to discover yoga talent in the country and hone their skills with the hope that they "represent the Kingdom in local and international tournaments". WATCH | WION Exclusive: Meet the woman, Nouf Marwaai, who brought yoga to Saudi Arabia × Saudi Arabia's first yoga festival Notably, it was in January that Saudi Arabia's first yoga festival was organised. The event took place at Juman Park, King Abdullah Economic City in the city of Jeddah and saw the participation of a number of top Saudi yoga teachers including Marwa Khairudeen and Lana Nazer. Saudi Arabia, in 2022, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India for the establishment of a formal "yoga protocol (standards)" for the promotion of yoga in the country. This was the first such bilateral cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia on yoga. Read more: Saudi Arabia's first yoga festival organised in Jeddah PM Modi's push for yoga Ever since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, he has embarked on a mission to popularise yoga and its benefits on the global stage. He proposed June 21 as the date for Yoga Day at the United Nations, noting that it is the longest day of the year. He received overwhelming support from the member countries for his proposal and since then, June 21 is observed as International Yoga Day (IDY) around the world. Despite reservations by a few countries that yoga is related to Hinduism, Saudi Arabia, one of the leaders of the Muslim world has wholeheartedly accepted the philosophy behind yoga. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Yoga set to be introduced in Saudi Arabian universities: Report

<p>After several rejections, JNU will now offer a short-term course in yoga philosphy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The course has been approved by the university&#39;s academic council,&nbsp;which had earlier rejected it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Academic Council on Thursday. It will be an excellent idea to celebrate Yoga Day (on June 21) by approving the much-debated course,&quot; PTI reported a a senior university official as saying.</p>

<p>The proposal to introduce the course on yoga and two courses on Indian culture was first floated in 2015.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hindu right-wing organisations like the RSS have been keen on propagating &quot;Indian culture&quot; on campuses.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the courses were rejected by the academic council.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PTI reported that the &quot;proposal was rejected by the Academic Council (AC), the university&#39;s statutory decision making body, in November, 2015. However, the varsity had in May last year decided to reconsider it and the departments were asked to rework on the proposed course structure and place it before the council.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>And that &quot;the proposal was again rejected in the Academic Council meeting in October last year.</p>

<p>Teachers from JNU though have been at pains to point out that the courses were not &quot;rejected&quot; -- but sent back for reconsideration and reworking because they had been found wanting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the course in yoga philosophy has now been approved, there is no word yet on the two courses proposed on Indian culture.</p>


The course was approved by the university's Academic Council

After several rejections, JNU will now offer a short-term course in yoga philosphy. The course has been approved by the university's academic council, which had earlier rejected it. "A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Academic Council on Thursday. It will be an excellent idea to celebrate Yoga Day (on June 21) by approving the much-debated course," PTI reported a a senior university official as saying. The proposal to introduce the course on yoga and two courses on Indian culture was first floated in 2015. Hindu right-wing organisations like the RSS have been keen on propagating "Indian culture" on campuses. But the courses were rejected by the academic council. PTI reported that the "proposal was rejected by the Academic Council (AC), the university's statutory decision making body, in November, 2015. However, the varsity had in May last year decided to reconsider it and the departments were asked to rework on the proposed course structure and place it before the council." And that "the proposal was again rejected in the Academic Council meeting in October last year. Teachers from JNU though have been at pains to point out that the courses were not "rejected" -- but sent back for reconsideration and reworking because they had been found wanting. While the course in yoga philosophy has now been approved, there is no word yet on the two courses proposed on Indian culture.

After several rejections, JNU approves yoga course

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Yoga set to be introduced in Saudi Arabian universities: Report

After several rejections, JNU approves yoga course