Brussels, June 16 (IANS): The mascot of Brussels city, Manneken Pis, and one of the most famous cartoon characters in the world in recent times, Smurf from Belgium, promoted the International Day of Yoga (IDY) in Brussels at an event held here.

The event was organised by the Embassy of India at the City Centre where Manneken Pis was dressed in a costume imprinted with cartoon character Smurf promoting IDY, on Wednesday evening.

Manneken Pis is a landmark small bronze sculpture in Brussels situated near the famous Grand Place. It is visited by thousands of tourists every day. Ambassador of India to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, Manjeev Singh Puri attended the event. 

Meanwhile, the European Parliament in Brussels will be hosting the celebrations of the 2nd International Day of Yoga on June 21 in its famous Yehudi Menuhin Hall.

The venue for the celebrations assumes significance since it was Yehudi Menuhin, the global music legend, who introduced B.K.S. Iyengar’s Yoga magic to the western world. 

The celebrations for the 2nd International Day of Yoga at the European Parliament will be inaugurated by yoga exponent Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living Foundation, who will travel there from India.

Sri Ravi Shankar will lead an open meditation session that would be followed by yoga “asanas” under the guidance of yoga expert, Samir Khan, of the European Yoga Institute of Brussels, also an Indian national.