Scaling up efforts to position Ayurveda as a sustainable and inclusive wellness system for the entire world and strengthening international networking of stakeholders by forming a Global Alliance of Ayurveda, the 5th Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF 2023) drew to a close here on Tuesday.
The five-day event saw Ayurvedic practitioners, scholars, students, policy makers and a wide array of stakeholders from India and abroad deliberating on a wide spectrum of topics besides evolving strategies for projecting Ayurveda’s huge potential in addressing the health challenges of the present world and imparting a momentum to wellness tourism.
Inaugurating the valedictory function of the conclave at the Greenfield International Stadium here, former Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar said as a time-tested holistic wellness system the relevance of Ayurveda had increased manyfold in a world faced with serious health challenges arising from lifestyle, stress and ecological disruptions.
It was significant to note that this traditional knowledge system was being augmented by adopting modern research methods which would enhance its credibility and open new vistas of opportunities, Mr. Sivakumar said.
He said Kerala had great potential to emerge as a global Ayurveda hub since the tradition of this science of life has deep roots in its culture.
Presiding over the function, GAF working chairman Dr G.G. Gangadharan said the conclave was a big success since it could effectively take forward its key objectives of uniting global Ayurveda community, enhancing Ayurveda’s international acceptance, advancing modern research, and promoting Kerala as a wellness hub.
Dr C. Suresh Kumar, chief coordinator GAF, Dr C. Suresh Kumar, secretary general of GAF, Dr Vishnu Namboodiri, organising secretary, and Dr V.G. Udayakumar, general convener were among those who spoke.
