Dubai to host first Arab Region Yoga Instructors Conference
We are hoping a conference of this nature will open up discussions between the Dubai Sports Council and the Indian Ministry of Ayush.”
Vipul, Consul-General of India
dubai — There is an urgent need to standardise the recruitment procedure for yoga instructors who wish to work in the UAE, announced senior Indian diplomatic officials.
Speaking at a Press conference announcing the launch of the first Arab Region Yoga Instructors Conference, Consul-General of India to Dubai Vipul told Khaleej Times on Thursday: “Right now, there is no standardised system for taking up a career as a yoga instructor in the UAE. We are hoping a conference of this nature will open up discussions between the Dubai Sports Council and the Indian Ministry of Ayush.”
He added: “Ideally, an MoU must be signed between these two bodies that recruits only qualified yoga teachers. For example, India has students who have spent two years studying specialised yogic sciences. We cannot compare that with a teacher who has done a 20 or 200-hour teacher training course in teaching yoga.” Vipul stressed the need to have a streamlined system to hire yoga teachers in professional environments.
The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, abbreviated as Ayush, is a governmental body in India purposed with developing, education and research in the field of alternative medicines, including yoga. The two-day conference, organised by the Science India Forum and FOI Events, will take place under the patronage of the Consulate-General of India. It will take place on April 26 and 27 at the Amity University in Dubai.
Leading yoga experts including Elaine Kelly, founder of Yogafest Middle East; Padmasree Nouf Marwaai, founder of Arab Yoga Foundation in Saudi Arabia; and HR Nagendra, founder vicechancellor of S-Vyasa; will be speaking at the event.
Vipul announced that a total of 300-400 instructors from across the region are expected to join in the programme. Organisers are in touch with embassies and consulates across the Arab region to get participants in the programme.
“There is a lot of interest among people and instructors in this conference as there are a lot of instructors of yoga in Dubai and elsewhere across the region,” added Vipul.
A minimal registration charge of Dh300 will be levied on participants. Interested instructors can apply on www.aryic.ae/yoga. Jayant Sahasra Buddhe, organising secretary of Vijnana Bharati, said: “We are glad there is an investment in yoga teachers and not just students of yoga.”