Burgeoning yoga awareness in Saudi Arabia reaches new heights. In a recent forum session, organized by the Saudi Universities Sports Federation under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education in Riyadh, Nouf Al-Marwaai, president of the Saudi Yoga Committee, announced that many agreements will be signed with major universities to support and promote yoga over the next few months.
Nouf Al-Marwaai was speaking at the forum titled "The Role of University Sports in Supporting the Kingdom's Vision in Sports," in which she emphasized the importance of yoga in the university system and touched upon Yogasana Sports as well as the organization of the first championship in the Kingdom and the Middle East in collaboration with Saudi Universities, like University of Business and Technology in Jeddah.
During the fourth session, titled "Development and Promotion of New Sports Games in Universities", Nouf Al-Marwaai explained that her participation focused on introducing yoga to universities, and the importance of practicing it for health and wellness for university staff and students of both genders. She also noted how the committee was working relentlessly to introduce yoga to universities.
"Yoga gives its practitioners many health benefits both physical and mental well-being. Emphasizing that 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," Nouf Al-Marwaai said.
Nouf Al-Marwaai further explained that yoga isn't just meditation and relaxation, but also includes many crucial aspects such as Asana posture practice, Pranayamas breathing techniques, Bandhas muscle control (and) then comes Dhayan and Yoga Nidra meditation and relaxation. She asked that the practice of yoga be made one of the most sustainable activities in universities, whether it is practicing yoga for health and wellness, Hatha yoga and its traditional styles, or Yogasana Sports for athletic and advance students.
By introducing Yogasana in universities, the talents of distinguished yoga practitioners in all types of yoga can be discovered, and even be supported and their skills are honed so the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is represented in local and international tournaments.
Attending the forum session were many experts and international leaders in university sports led by the president of the International Universities Sports Federation, Leonz Eder, and Paulo Ferreira, director general of the International University Sports Federation. President of Saudi Universities Sports Federation, Prof. Dr. Khaled Al-Muzaini attended the event and touched on the importance of university sports as an environment to contribute to the development of Saudi sports.
Yoga in Saudi Arabia Universities
Nouf Al-Marwaai noted that the first training camp and the first championship were hosted University of Business and Technology in Jeddah and Dar Al-Hekma University Yoga Instructors training courses for yoga trainers. Saudi Yoga Committee provided Yoga scholarships to both the University of Business and Technology and Dar Al-Hekma University, she said.
In December last year, a yoga workshop and lecture was held in Jeddah, with the aim to introduce the importance of practicing yoga to improve the quality of life and spread it in the Arab world. Delegates from 11 Arab countries took part in the workshop, which was held by the Saudi Yoga Committee as a part of the Arab Youth Empowerment Program organized by the Ministry of Sports.
In September last year, the Saudi Yoga Committee had organized a virtual introductory lecture for all university representatives across KSA on Yoga under the title (Yoga for University Students of Both Genders), at the headquarters of the Saudi Universities Sports Federation- SUSF in Ministry of Education, Riyadh.
