Oh,

just in case you're wondering...

World Yoga Day 2008 will be held on Sunday 3rd February when yoga teachers and schools around the world will donate their time and space to a two hour yoga session which is devoted to human rights.

The class should be held from 11AM - 1PM sharp, local time in each time zone, which will lead to a 24 hour yoga marathon around the world. Devoting our thoughts and energy globally to the human rights issue will generate a powerful impact.

Students attending the event will donate whatever tuition they can afford. All contributions are welcome and also students who can't pay at all – the money is important to help victims of human right violation but so is the spirit.

We love to see yogis from all styles participate in this wonderful event whether Iyengar, Bikram, Anusara, Ashtanga, Laughter Yoga…at the heart of any yoga style stands the union. Bringing all yogis worldwide together to devote their practice to this important cause will be a wonderful, spirited celebration of yoga.

Our aim is that as many nations as possible come together on this project, especially countries where human rights violation is a more dominant issue.

The money raised from this worldwide day of yoga will go to Amnesty International.

In the run-up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing Amnesty International (AI) are conducting a campaign to urge the Chinese authorities to keep their promise to improve the human rights situation in China, especially in the areas of death penalty, fair trial and prevention of torture and ill-treatment, protection of human rights defenders and freedom of expression and information.

The 2008 Summer Olympics will take place from 8-24 August 2008 in Beijing, China. Amnesty International believes China's hosting of the Olympics provides it with a unique opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to human rights. It is our role to make sure that this opportunity does not pass by without notice, action and sustained improvements.

I'll let you know more about Stretch & Play's involvement closer to the date...

Victoria

Hey Everybody!

It is my birthday today and I was just thinking back to last year and the official opening of the offices in Carn with our yoga session for World Yoga Day 2007. This year, on the Sunday, instead of opening Stretch & Play's offices, I was training my first batch of Stretch & Play Facilitators and I can't believe how far I, and Stretch & Play, have come in that time!

It was lovely to gain 10 really enthusiastic new staff and I'm looking forward to getting the Stretch & Play message out to towns and villages throughout Northern Ireland with their help...

So please welcome with me:

Elizabeth from California (via Belfast!)

James from Jordanstown

Jane from Banbridge

Jayne from Coagh

Jill from Dromore

Josie from Fivemiletown

Kathryn from Belfast

Lesley from Dundrum

Neil from Portadown and

Tracey (and Eli!) from Lisburn

I'm planning lots more training as well as stretching and playing in 2008!

Hugs,

Victoria

Hi Everyone!

This is my first blog entry which I'm doing instead of finishing off the Facilitator Training Manual for training on Sunday 20th Jan (eek).

I am a bit of a perfectionist and so, of course, it's not quite right for me yet. So, I'll mess around on my blog instead and then have to do it tonight at 11pm. Why do Type A personalities do this to themselves???

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy being a part of Stretch & Play and my world for a while...

Hugs,

Victoria