31 Mar 2017
Global Wellness Day to focus on happy kids, depression and digital detoxing
BY Rebecca Barnes
Global Wellness Day will be celebrated on 10 June 2017, with more than 90 countries at 4000 different locations worldwide taking part, along with the leadership of 85 ambassadors, 20 key supporters and three advisors.
Helping the world to realise that “one day can change your whole life”, complimentary activities including Zumba, yoga, Pilates, dance, ballet, hiking, nutrition workshops, diet, healthy eating and happiness will be on offer.
Along with physical activities, the wellness element of Global Wellness Day encourages participants to focus on mindfulness and social responsibility activities that change the lives of people in a positive way.
This year’s topics include ‘How to Raise Happy kids’, ‘Depression and Unhappiness’, and ‘Technology Detox.’
Having received the GHLA (Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association) Award for their “Mindfulness in the Garden” event held last year, which included a yoga class followed by a guided meditation with one of Atlanta’s top yoga instructors, Elizabeth Rowan, Mandarin Oriental Atlanta is planning to organise “Digital Wellness” events worldwide, encouraging people to put down their phones for a period of time and focus on their personal wellness.
This year's event will encourage guests to disengage from and re-evaluate their relationship with technology through a calming and soothing respite from the stress and demands of a constantly connected, digital lifestyle. This will include a “Movement in the Garden” event, featuring Tai Chi.
“We love celebrating a day dedicated to personal wellness. It is a great reminder to slow down and prioritise our own wellbeing," said Jeremy McCarthy, group director of spa & wellness, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. “Tai Chi is a wonderful activity to offset the adverse effects of technology. Slow, intentional movement brings us into the present moment and reconnects the mind and the body.”
The focus of this year’s campaign will be to organise social responsibility activities in GWD countries, increase the global support of international governments and ensure United Nations observes Global Wellness Day in its official calendar - if it does, it will then be celebrated in 193 countries.
In Thailand, GWD has focused on raising the plight of the stateless people along the Myanmar border – GWD Thailand has also removed mites from orphaned children’s hair at the border. GWD has also focused on orphan children and people in elderly houses in Tunisia, Netherlands and hospitals in Brazil.
This year, GWD Turkey is working with The Spinal Cord Paralytics Association of Turkey (TOFD) to create awareness of the insufficient rehabilitation and environmental conditions that prevent disabled cizitens in participating in social life.
At the same time, ambassadors work on promoting Global Wellness Day at governmental institutions; GWD currently has the support of governments in Thailand, Cyprus, Turkey, Canada, Aruba, USA, India, Nigeria, Costa Rica, Ireland, Serbia and Mexico.
With the aim to create awareness about Global Wellness Day, Daniel Horhogea, a well-respected personality in the Romanian sport and wellness community, will run a marathon starting from Romania 10 days before Global Wellness Day, passing through Bulgaria and finishing in Istanbul on 10 June.
One of the main objectives of Global Wellness Day is to create awareness about wellness amongst related businesses such as hotels, spas, institutions and government bodies, as well as society, by highlighting the fact that wellness is not a luxury but the inherent right of each individual.
A number of hotels and hotel groups including Four Seasons, Fairmont Hotels, LUX Hotels & Resorts Group, GOCO Spas & GOCO Retreats, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Six Senses, Marriott Spas, Sense Spa, Accor Hotels, WTS International, Hilton Group, Oberoi Spas and Chuan Spas have confirmed their participation in this year’s Global Wellness Day.
GWD also has the support of schools and institutions worldwide including CIDESCO, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Day Spa Association, SpaFinder Wellness 365, Treatwell, Global Wellness Institute, International Spa Association (ISPA) and Turkish Heart Foundation.
Global Wellness Day is a not-for-profit initiative that is free and open to the general public. In 2016, ISPA awarded Global Wellness Day with the Innovate Award in Philanthropic Initiatives Category.
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