Union AYUSH Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday inaugurated the `curtain raiser' for the 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) and Arogya Expo, Panaji.
The event, supported by the Union and state governments and the Union Ministry of AYUSH, will be held in Goa from December 8 to 11. Around 5,000 Ayurveda stakeholders from across the world including industry leaders, practitioners, traditional healers, educationists, students, drug manufacturers, growers of medicinal plants, and marketing strategists are expected to attend it.
Sonowal said the focal theme of the event, 'Ayurveda for One Health', is very meaningful for the journey of life.
Ayurveda was not just about maintaining one's health but it was a holistic system to take care of Earth as well, the minister said at a press conference after the inauguration.
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The market size of the AYUSH sector in the country has grown from USD 3 billion to more than USD 18 billion in the last eight years, he noted.
The motto of this year's Ayurveda Day celebration would be `Har Din Har Ghar Ayurveda' (Ayurveda every day, Ayurveda Everywhere), he said.
Ayurveda Day is celebrated on Dhanvantari Jayanti on October 23.
The All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi, is the nodal Agency for the implementation of the programme. “Around 22 Ministries and departments of the Government of India are collaborating for this event,” the Union minister added.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the state aimed to become a prime Ayurveda and wellness tourism hub.
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Union Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik said the World Health Organisation is part of the WAC for the first time this year and it will trigger the huge interest of participants.
