World Health Qigong Day - 2nd Saturday in September

2nd Sunday in August - try to remember this for next year. I'll even make an indie thread off the Chinese Health Qigong Association one.

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Hundreds gather in New York to celebrate World Health Qigong Day
By Shan Xin (People's Daily Online) 16:16, August 15, 2017

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(Qigong enthusiasts gathered at Gantry Plaza State Park in New York to celebrate World Health Qigong Day)

On the second Sunday of August, 200 Qigong enthusiasts gathered at Gantry Plaza State Park in New York to celebrate the first-ever World Health Qigong Day, organized by the International Health Qigong Association.
World Health Qigong Day will coordinate the practice of Health Qigong at 10 am local time in 43 countries and regions across the world. Globally, Health Qigong will be practiced non-stop for 24 hours from East to West, starting in Australia and ending in Canada.
Chang Jianping, chairman of Chinese Health Qigong Association, said Health Qigong helps cure illnesses and keeps people fit, as well as strengthens the immune system, as it requires a psychological skill that brings body, breath, and mind into one.
“Qigong is a traditional Chinese exercise and healing technique, originally part of traditional Chinese medicine and ancient martial arts,” he said. “Confucians practiced Qigong to cultivate his mind and body.”
Chang introduced nine forms of Health Qigong, including Eight Pieces of Brocade, Six Healing Sounds, Muscle-Tendon Change Classic, and Five Animals. According to Chang, experts would be invited to give lessons on the basic movements of Health Qigong to benefit more people.
He also clarified some misleading statements. “Qigong is a kind of exercise; and not a miracle cure or a way to immortalize. People should approach it calmly. If people practice the movements and understand the harmony, they can benefit from it,” he said. “Beware of cults that say one can refuse medical treatment after illness. They are not real Health Qigong.”

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Maybe this will be bigger next year.

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World Health Qigong Day
MENAFN Press - 19/08/2017

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The first "World Health Qigong Day" was held on August 13, with events taking place in 40 countries across the world.

The United Nations Headquarters Square, New York, saw a spectacular "East and West" culture show to mark the start of the day, bringing together the Chinese and American people.

Beijing and New York were the main venues, with other events taking place in 40 countries and regions where member organizations of the International Health Qigong Federation (IHQF) are located. The slogan for this event was "Let me teach you health qigong".

Qigong practitioners at the square performed traditional Chinese health Qigong routines Wuqinxi (Five Animal Play) and Baduanjin (Eight Pieces of Brocade). The "Five Animal Play" is regarded as the earliest form of medical qigong, dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). Eight Pieces of Brocade is a common form of qigong used for exercise, with records dating back to the Song Dynasty (AD 9601279).
Health qigong is officially recognized by the Chinese government as a traditional folk sport. It is administered by the IHQF, a non-profit international organization headquartered in Beijing with a goal of "promoting and improving the physical and mental health of the people of the world."
According to Chang Jianping, President of Chinese Health Qigong Association, the aim of the event was to improve understanding of health qigong around the world and create a positive atmosphere for its long-term development.

The theory behind health qigong is the unifying of body movements, rhythms of breathing, and Chinese medical principles to exercise and regulate one's body, breath, and mind. However, the practitioners of traditional qigong also advice caution about the practices of some cult groups such as Falun Gong, a movement with similar exercises at its heart but a much criticized cult of personality surrounding it's leader and dubious health claims that may lead practitioners to refuse standard medical treatment for serious diseases.

The IHQF has designated the second Sunday of each August as "World Health Qigong Day"

#Media Contact
Company Name: Chinese Health Qigong Association
Contact Person: Jack Ma
Email:
Phone: 8618601399100
Country: #China
Website:

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Oops. It was last Saturday.

Yeah, I forgot. Anyone remember?

http://www.ihqfo.org/en/index.php

Missed this again. :o

Only thought of it because I just stumbled over the following news item where they celebrated in Sri Lanka two weekends ago - a month late...

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Celebrating the 10th anniversary and World Health Qigong day
September 11, 2019, 10:07 pm

Sri Lanka Health Qigong Association will be celebrating its 10th anniversary and the World Health Qigong Day as a coincident on Saturday (14) at the Sri Lanka Foundation premises in Colombo 07. Event will be started at 4.00 p.m. with co-sponsorship of the Sri Lanka Foundation.

Health Qigong is a powerful system of healing and energy medicine that originated in the People’s Republic of China more than 5000 years ago to improve the physical and mental health of the people. It involves breathing techniques, gentle movement and meditation, which acts to cleanse, strengthen and circulate the life energy (Qi) of human body that mostly help to eliminate the mental stress and most of the NCDs commonly discussed in the society these days. This art could be followed by everyone irrespective of their ages as a sport, meditation or even to maintain good health and a better life style.

The celebration will comprise developing the awareness on Health Qigong, the objectives of the SLHQA and its achievements hitherto followed with a training session for the participants. Therefore, all are welcome without any age barrier to participate in this grand event and feel the difference by following Health Qigong. This is a totally free event for all the participants.

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I don't think this is really catching on...

Wait...it's the 2nd Saturday in September now? I'll update the title of this thread from the "2nd Sunday in August."

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World Health Qigong Day to be celebrated in Slovenia

Source: Xinhua Editor: huaxia2023-09-09 20:32:19

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Participants practise Qigong a day before the World Health Qigong Day at the Tivoli park in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Sept. 8, 2023. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua)

On Saturday, free Tai Chi and Qigong training sessions will continue to take place outdoors in the cities of Celje, Maribor, and Murska Sobota, while the last event on Sunday will be held via Zoom.

LJUBLJANA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Slovenians will be able to take part in free Tai Chi and Qigong training sessions for three days over the weekend in several Slovenian cities to mark the World Health Qigong Day 2023.
The event started on Saturday and is built around the theme "build health & share love," Chen Shining, chairman and head coach of the Slovenian Tai Chi and Qigong Association has told Xinhua.
"We have been organizing these free events for seven years in a row now and there is more interest every year," Chen, who moved to Slovenia from China more than 30 years ago, told Xinhua on Friday.
He said he expected more than 150 people to attend the free trainings this year.
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Participants practise Qigong a day before the World Health Qigong Day at the Tivoli park in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Sept. 8, 2023. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua)

The first session took place around a fountain in the Tivoli park in the center of the capital Ljubljana, attracting dozens of participants. On Saturday, the sports events will continue to take place outdoors in the cities of Celje, Maribor, and Murska Sobota, while the last event on Sunday will be held via Zoom.
"People have realized that these exercises are beneficial, increasing the physical, psychological and energy levels in their body, reducing stress and improving their general health," said Chen, who has been a Tai Chi and Qigong trainer in Slovenia since 1992.
Chen started practicing Tai Chi and Qigong as a child in China, and by now, more than 10,000 people have attended his training courses. He moved to Slovenia as a student of mechanical engineering and is now an international Health Qigong referee and a member of the professional board of the International Health Qigong Federation.
https://english.news.cn/20230909/4d5...CBMFN0A003.jpg
Participants practise Qigong a day before the World Health Qigong Day at the Tivoli park in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Sept. 8, 2023. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua)

The World Health Qigong Day is celebrated each year on the second Saturday in September in many countries on five continents, thus ensuring that Health Qigong is on that day being practiced globally non-stop for 24 hours, going from east to west.
Health Qigong is an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, promoting the free flow of energy throughout the body with the help of physical exercises, the cultivation of the mind and regulated breathing.■

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