Global Wellness Day will take place on June 12, 2021. The theme this year, aptly, is "Protecting Our Mental Wellness."
2020 was nothing short of a tumultuous year no matter who you are or where you live. The COVID-19 pandemic affected everyone on Earth and the longer it continues, the harder the toll it continues to take on mental health.
Global Wellness Day 2021 will be the 10th annual celebration of a day designed to support the universally shared dream of living a healthier and better life. As time goes on, it's becoming more important than ever to counteract the mental effects of the chaos of the present world, both minor and major.
With a focus on everything from healthy eating to spiritual teaching, Global Wellness Day (GWD) connects ambassadors and teachers from 170 countries around the world in sharing unique insights and highlights of what wellness looks like to them. The main aims for GWD, celebrated on the second Saturday of June around the world, are to make peace with oneself, pause and focus on our wellbeing and free ourselves of bad habits and stresses.
This year, GWD will be presented as a completely free, 12-hour livestream celebration (from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. UTC). An Olympic gold medalist, various spiritual leaders, YouTube wellness influencers and a former NASA scientist will be among those bringing their own insights on what wellness looks like to them and their own tips for achieving it.
Countries around the world are planning on celebrating GWD in many different (but COVID-friendly) ways. Here are a few highlights of GWD celebrations around the world:
Brazil
The focus of GWD 2021 in Brazil is to support those in the country affected by the pandemic through donations of essential items, clothes and shoes. Additionally, they will work on promoting the organization's Seven-Step Manifesto through bottle collection, recycling initiatives, organic gardening, and healthy cooking classes.
Dominican Republic
The Royalton Bavaro will be hosting Global Wellness Day events at their resort near Punta Cana (in addition to the Royalton Riviera Cancun and Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun) with a specialized itinerary for those wanting to participate. The itinerary will include morning meditation, healthy meals throughout the day, yoga, beach cleaning, pool pilates, spa workshops and a phone-free family dinner.
Vietnam
The GWD team in Vietnam is working with local celebrities and media in the country in advance of Global Wellness Day 2021 to raise awareness using "wellness dinners." On June 12th, the country will celebrate through events like Tai Chi, yoga, dances, nature walks, Zumba and more-all hosted at local schools, parks and partnership venues.
Macau
Macau's iconic Outdoor Plaza at the Macau Tower will become host to workshops on raw foods, kombucha and essential oils while events like Zumba classes, kickboxing and morning and sunset stretching sessions take place throughout the course of the day on June 12th.
Costa Rica
Home to one of the world's Blue Zones, plenty of beautiful outdoor adventures and healthy local foods, Costa Rica is a prime country to celebrate wellness in all its forms. This year, GWD representatives are working with the Costa Rican Tourism Board and the Costa Rica Wellness Tourism Association, among others, to organize plenty of different outdoor celebratory events in line with COVID guidelines.