Grab your yoga mat: International Yoga Day in Istanbul

International Yoga Day, proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 27, 2014, was officially started on June 21, 2015. In his call to the assembly, Modi said, "Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies the unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfillment, harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being.

It is not about exercise, but to discover the sense of oneness within yourself, the world and nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us address climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day."

Today marks the fifth anniversary of International Yoga Day. Let's find out where you can celebrate this day in Istanbul with free yoga events.

The first event is scheduled by the Consulate General of India in Istanbul and organized by the Kadıköy Municipality and Istanbul Yoga Merkezi. This Anatolian side event is being held at the soccer field in Kalamış Park from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Before the main event, there will be other events like presentations and short yoga performances on some health problems at the Kalamış Park Youth Center. At the event a yoga mat will be given to participants. On the European side, International Yoga Day will be celebrated at Akbatı Shopping Mall. Yoga culture, which is thousands of years old, will be explained with Vinyasa yoga under the guidance of Maya yoga founder Hikmet Gürbüz, and guests will experience relaxation both emotionally and mentally as well as physical stretching. After a presentation on the benefits of prenatal yoga with midwife Arzu Çulha, the activity will end with meditation and a question and answer session. A limited number of people will be able to attend the event, which will be organized free of charge on the ground floor from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Happy Yoga Day!