Preparations Underway for Grand Celebration of First-ever International Wellness Day on April 15

Rapid preparations are underway to celebrate April 15 as International Wellness Day for the first time. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has decided to observe the Wellness Day across Nepal’s 753 local units and seven provinces with a long-term impact. Nepal successfully secured the declaration of April 15 as International Wellness Day by the United Nations General Assembly, a move expected to strengthen the concept of holistic health worldwide.

Kathmandu, April 2 (Chaitra 19). Preparations for the inaugural International Wellness Day on April 15 have accelerated. A high-level organizing committee meeting held at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on Thursday decided to celebrate the day effectively and inclusively across all 753 local levels and seven provinces. Participants emphasized that the Wellness Day should transcend formal celebrations and serve as a national campaign. They stressed linking wellness with national pride, livelihoods, and long-term development.

Minister Poudel referred to Lord Shiva as the guru of yoga and meditation, citing Pashupatinath—the sacred site linked to yoga tradition—as an example. He underscored that wellness should not be limited to mere promotion but linked with improving livelihoods. “To end the growing despair among citizens and uphold national pride, wellness is essential. Before marketing wellness tourism abroad, we must recognize its intrinsic value,” he said. “This is just the beginning. There is a long journey ahead, but if we proceed preserving fundamental infrastructure, originality, and identity, wellness will become a new foundation for Nepal’s prosperity.”

House of Representatives member Prashant Upreti suggested advancing wellness by connecting it with Nepal’s spiritual traditions and cultural authenticity. He noted the need for innovative, results-driven approaches beyond traditional perspectives to make the program effective. Upreti believes wellness should be linked with the country’s long-term economic and social transformation, contributing to healthy living and a robust society. “To operationalize wellness, we must work at the sectoral level: incorporating mindfulness practices in schools, promoting healthy diets in the hospitality sector, and mindfulness-related activities in Himalayan areas could rapidly deliver widespread messages,” he explained.

Similarly, Ministry Secretary Mukund Prasad Niraula highlighted that wellness could serve as Nepal’s “soft power.” “This is not just a day but an historic opportunity to promote Nepal’s indigenous knowledge, culture, and lifestyle globally,” he said. “Responsibilities and implementation strategies have been clearly delineated through today’s meeting.”

CEO of Nepal Tourism Board Deepkaraj Joshi emphasized wellness tourism as Nepal’s key opportunity. “Nepal’s natural and cultural heritage makes us globally competitive. Now is the time to focus on wellness tourism product development, packaging, and promotion, transforming it into a major source of national income,” Joshi said. “To achieve this, we must celebrate this day grandly at home and abroad.”

Presenting on opportunities in wellness tourism, Sudip Baiju proposed developing Nepal as a leading global wellness destination. He suggested effectively promoting indigenous practices such as yoga, Ayurveda, meditation, and spiritual exercises to attract high-spending tourists.

Life Sciences founding member L.P. Bhanu described wellness as the art of living a healthy life—a key global demand that Nepal can fulfill. Following Nepal’s proposal, the United Nations General Assembly declared April 15 as International Wellness Day, a significant diplomatic achievement for Nepal.

This declaration redefines health as not merely the absence of disease but as physical, mental, social, and environmental balance, thereby strengthening the concept of holistic health worldwide. Nepal’s tourism revenue currently stands at $61.2 million, with wellness tourism accounting for $2.5 million (approximately 4 percent).