Saudi Arabia is set to introduce yoga in its universities due to its significance for mental and physical health. Several agreements will be signed with major universities in Saudi Arabia to support and promote yoga over the next few months, according to Saudi Yoga Committee President Nouf Al-Marwaai.
Al-Marwaai said that the committee was striving hard to introduce yoga to universities. “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 said.
She added that yoga is not just meditation and relaxation as some might believe, but “includes Asana posture practice, Pranayamas breathing techniques, Bandhas muscle control (and) then comes Dhayan and Yoga Nidra meditation and relaxation.” She added that the committee “aims to discover the talents of distinguished yoga practitioners in all types of yoga in general or Yogasana sports, to hone their talents, and support them to participate and represent the Kingdom in local and international tournaments.”
The announcement was recently made in Riyadh during the forum, The Role of University Sports in Supporting the Kingdom’s Vision in Sports, organised by the Saudi Universities Sports Federation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.
