Over 500 yoga enthusiasts gathered in Lumbini, the revered birthplace of Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to mark the International Day of Yoga on Friday.

The event was jointly organised by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and the Lumbini Development Trust.

Federal Minister for Youth and Sports Teju Lal Chaudhary and Lumbini provincial head Krishna Bahadur Gharti attended the event.

Both expressed appreciation to the Indian Embassy for organising the event at the sacred site and for promoting cultural ties between India and Nepal, the embassy said in a statement.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava highlighted yoga’s global appeal, particularly since the United Nations declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in 2014. He said that Lumbini, known globally as a symbol of peace and harmony, offers a fitting venue to celebrate the timeless values of yoga.

Srivastava thanked the Lumbini Development Trust for its support and noted the Trust’s contribution in promoting Lumbini as a spiritual and religious destination.

The Lumbini event is part of a series of programmes being held by the Indian Embassy to commemorate the 11th International Day of Yoga across Nepal. The embassy is scheduled to organise another yoga demonstration in Pokhara on Saturday in collaboration with the Pokhara Metropolitan City at the Pokhara Stadium.