Johannesburg, 20 July (PTI): Meenakshi Lekhi, Union Minister of Foreign Affairs and Culture, led a yoga session here on Thursday ahead of her meeting with her BRICS counterparts in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province.
Lekhi joins the host, South African Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa; Margareth Menezes, Minister of Culture of the Federative Republic of Brazil; Andrei Malyshev, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation and LI Qun, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China.
Culture ministers will discuss the importance of cultural diplomacy and the potential of cultural industries for boosting economic recovery and promoting social cohesion in a post-pandemic world.
The organizers said the session’s main agenda includes in-depth deliberations on initiatives to support the cultural and creative sectors, the exchange of best practices and the promotion of cultural diversity.
Ministers will share insights on their respective countries’ experiences in navigating the challenges of the pandemic and outline strategies to build a resilient cultural ecosystem.
An essential highlight of the session is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation in the field of culture.
This MOU will serve as a basis for future cooperation and will further strengthen cultural partnerships between the BRICS countries. It is expected to provide a framework for joint initiatives, including cultural exchanges, capacity building and creative collaborations.
During the yoga session, Lekhi reminded the assembled yogis that one of the first resolutions Prime Minister Narendra Modi passed at the UN was that the International Day of Yoga should be declared on June 21 every year.
“We have such an old relationship with South Africa. Our struggles have been together. No matter how things change, we still feel very close to the value system and the emotional bond between India and South Africa is very strong.
“Yoga in Sanskrit or Hindi means ‘to add’, so when you do yoga you increase your own strength, both physical and emotional. Yoga is not just a physical exercise. Yoga stands for connection between the human body, mind and soul. This cohesion leads to more positivity,” said Lekhi.
Yoga expert Maya Bhatt then guided the yogis through some exercises as Lekhi and Consul General Mahesh Kumar joined them on the floor of the Shree Radhe Shyam Mandir Hall in the Johannesburg suburb of Marlboro. PTI FH RUP RUP
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