June 10 marks the sixth annual Global Wellness Day and this one may just be the biggest yet. International governmental institutions, mayors, and associations are rallying to support Global Wellness Day (GWD) in places like India, the U.S., Canada, India, Ireland, Nigeria, Mexico, Costa Rica, Aruba, Turkey, Serbia and Brazil. "As a GWD family, we are thrilled that Global Wellness Day is garnering such support worldwide,” says Turkish founder and cancer survivor, Belgin Aksoy Berkin. “Our ambassadors have done such an amazing job that this year we are able to expand our focus to include the goals of spreading a message of happiness, kindness, gratitude and mindfulness, which I believe can be seen in our wide range of inclusive events," Berkin continues. Many of these events are meant to help underserved communities and hope to put an emphasis on the happiness and health of children. Something, Berkin says, continues to give her hope for the future.
Global Wellness Day Events Around the World
United States
Los Angeles: Wellness Expert and the writer, Nikki Sharp, will be teaching the helipad yoga class at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. Celebrity nutritionist, Kimberly Snyder will be leading a healthy breakfast event, and Four Seasons will be leading a number of other events throughout the day with Wellness Experts Kathy Freston, John Salley, Susan Miller, Tata Harper, The Detox Market, and Todd Savvas.
Florida
Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs will join with TechnoGym to offer free classes in their 18,000 sq. ft. fitness center.
Carillon Miami is hosting a morning of complimentary mindful activities to inspire and raise awareness for living well. The morning will start off with on the beach with a short, 20-minute meditation, followed by the Gauntlet, a challenging HIIT workout. The morning will end with an hour Therapeutic Yoga Flow class. Chilled and infused-water stations will be available near activities. Guests can arrive via the public access beach or the valet entrance. Towels and mats will be provided once guests arrive on the beach.
• 8:00am – 8:20am — Mindful Basics | Led by Sarah Kouri | Become more mindful, create bi-lateral brain function and relax.
• 8:30am – 9:15am — Gauntlet | Carillon's hardest results-driven class yet, this high intensity interval training on battle ropes, agility ladders, and a full obstacle course will wake up your muscles
• 9:30am – 10:30am — Therapeutic Yoga Flow | Led by Alina Sedano | Flow to the sounds of the ocean in this therapeutic class designed to strengthen, lengthen & release tight muscles. Align the mind, body and spirit and rejuvenate your soul on the beach.
Montana
Blu Spas, a design company that has been creating sensory sanctuaries around the world for the past 30 years, is pleased to celebrate GWD with a community wellness day in their headquarters in Whitefish, Montana. Hosted by The Springs of Whitefish, a Senior Living Community, the day will begin with a community walk, and continue with lively movement demos from Zumba, TaiChi, Aerobics, Energy Medicine Yoga & OULA (a new dance craze, founded in MissOULA Montana). The day also includes "selfcare stations” with information on acupuncture, massage, nutrition, body care, and meditation for all ages.
Ohio
Beautiful public spaces are reserved in downtown Cleveland for free fitness classes and a Wellness Expo. GWD Frisbees will encourage play and movement and the event is being promoted via a chain of local grocery stores and the YMCA.
Rhode Island: Condition the mind and body with Asana-Pranayama movements under the early morning sun at
Condition the mind and body with Asana-Pranayama movements under the early morning sun at 9:00 am on the rooftop of the Grace Vanderbilt. Continue to stamp your wellness passport by participating in other complimentary programs including Essential Oils 101 with Meredith Ewenson and more. Pick up your Wellness Passport and Box Water at Grace Vanderbilt and enjoy a complimentary day of wellness in honor of Global Wellness Day.
Nevada (Los Vegas):
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas is joining forces with premium athletic brand Lululemon to deliver a special edition of “The Strip Movement” on June 11. The wellness initiative is designed to promote living a healthier lifestyle by getting Las Vegas moving through a morning of free yoga, music and $6 mimosas.
Connecticut:
Celebrate wellness at Grace Mayflower Inn & Spa’s country retreat nestled in 58 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and woodland, renowned as one of the most distinguished spa destinations in the northeast with a 20,000 square-foot spa and unique spa experiences including sound healing, forest bathing, and more. On Global Wellness Day, guests can partake in one of two thirty-minute intro to Sound Healing sessions at 11:30am and 3pm.
*Advanced reservations required via text at 860.671.7224. Sessions may be held inside or outside, depending on weather and available space based on number of attendees.
Maryland:
The Spa at The Ivy Hotel will be hosting a Morning of Wellness including rejuvenating smoothies, yoga, wellness discussions, and spa treatment specials. Below please find the full schedule of activities for the morning:
- 8:00-9:00 a.m.: Yoga on The Ivy Courtyard lawn (yoga mats provided) followed by delicious smoothies.
- 9:15-10:00 a.m.: Meet Cassandra Herbert - holistic nurse, psychotherapist, wellness educator, and health advocate, for a discussion on taking charge of your health through a holistic lifestyle.
- 10:15-11:00 a.m.: Acupuncture talk and demonstration with Colleen Curran, Manager of Clinical Acupuncture Internships at Upper Chesapeake Kaufman Cancer Center.
More Global Wellness Day spa specials i15-minute
- 15 minute hydrating hot oil scalp treatment / $15
- 15 minute chair massage / $35
- 60 minute full body custom massage / $149
- 20% savings on all spa products
Hawaii: Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina will host ‘Back to our Roots’ on Global Wellness Day. This consists of a complimentary day of curated wellness programs with a focus on spa, fitness, and culinary. Programming invites guests and community to be well in paradise with authentic, ancient and innovative healing practices and the unique opportunity to explore Hawaii’s newest luxury spa offerings.
‘Back to our Roots’ Global Wellness Day highlights include the following.
· 7:00-8:00 a.m. – Greet the day at our ‘Place of Joy’ with Hatha Yoga on Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina’s beautiful ocean front lawn.
· 8:00-10:00 a.m. – Head to La Hiki Kitchen and enjoy a ‘Back to our Roots’ Breakfast Buffet. Nurture the mind, body and soul with the powers of poi, a Hawaiian staple for thousands of years. In addition to fresh mango, lychee and papaya, enjoy a gluten free station, Acai bowls with pa`i`ai (pounded taro), and a delicious fresh fruit smoothie bar. Local taro farmer Anthony from Ka'onohi Poi will demonstrate poi pounding at La Hiki Kitchen from 8:30 – 8:30 a.m.
· 10:00-11:00 a.m. – Learn the art of traditional Lomilomi massage with Bronson Salazar, lead therapist at the Four Seasons award-winning Naupaka Spa & Wellness Centre. Bronson demonstrates the principles and techniques of indigenous healing passed down to him by his grandmother in one of the resort’s traditional Hawaiian healing hales.
· 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Restore your spirit with a blessing and meditation at Pokahu Point. Auntie Nettie Tiffany, Kahu at Lanikuhonua, will offer a traditional Hawaiian blessing to share the special mana of the area, historically a healing retreat for Hawaiian royalty. Guests are invited to linger for personal meditation or walk to the beach and wade for a Hawaiian ocean cleansing ritual of mind, body and spirit.
Global
Geneva: The Nescens Spa at La Réserve Geneva will celebrate Global Wellness Day by treating all guests staying at the hotel on June 10 as well as local spa members to a complimentary assessment of their body composition, along with advice on enhanced management of their physical health. This evaluation is the first step of the Nescens Better-Aging Program which combines nutrition, osteopathy assessment, exercise, and spa treatments. This offer is conducted in cooperation with the physicians of the Nescens Clinique de Genolier Preventive Medicine Centers who will outline better-aging behaviors that can be adopted in order to safeguard youthfulness.
Jamaica:
GoldenEye will be promoting wellness on June 10 with specially created wellness cuisine and natural juices, as well as a schedule of weekend classes crafted in observance of this wellness holiday. Classes include power barre yoga, to connect the body and mind, as well as gentle sunset yoga and guided singing bowl meditation.
Costa Rica:
The Digital Detox package at Nayara is the perfect way to give one’s brain a well needed respite from a constant onslaught of screens and connectedness. Guests are invited to lock away their tablets, smart phones, and laptops and unwind. The package includes three nights’ accommodation, daily yoga, daily mediation classes, a Nature Escape Spa package (45-minute hot stone massage, 30-minute refreshing facial, and 30 minutes of relaxation time in the treatment pavilion’s natural mineral hot springs jacuzzi), and a birdwatching tour.
London:
The Aman Spa at The Connaught in London offers daily mindfulness meditation classes to help participants cope with stress and anxiety in the workplace. The complimentary class is open to the public and offered during lunchtime.
Israel:
The main event will take place with a wide range of wellness activities in Gordon Swimming Pool, which is located on Tel Aviv’s renovated and beautiful promenade, surrounded by tall palm trees and overlooks the yachts and waves of the Mediterranean Sea.
Hungary:
In a multi-tiered effort by different groups, several baths in the Hungarian Thermal Bath Association will offer complimentary events. Day-long and week-long events – many taking place in nature -- will be organized by the spas of Hunguest Hotels and Danubius Hotels with participating health/fitness clubs and trainers from the International Wellness Institute and support from the Hungarian Tourism Agency and Wellness Magazine. Interestingly, the Hungarian Association of Dietitians will promote the Smart Plate initiative, which parallels GWD’s manifesto. And finally, the Madach Musical School has its Gala Exhibition dedicated to GWD during that weekend.
Netherlands:
A number of health and wellness professionals will organize massage and meditation sessions, yoga, dance and fitness workouts, and workshops in the field of healthy food. Looking to the future, 4,500 students of the HZ University of Applied Sciences’ Vitality and Tourism Management school said YES to Global Wellness Day by organizing a range of wellness activities both on and off campus.
Brazil:
The Kurotel spa, located in the city of Gramado, is one of the country’s favorite mountain destinations. It welcomes 6 million visitors each year and it has been sending it’s professional medical personnel to speak about GWD’s 7 Step Manifesto in public schools, children associations, and the city hall of Gramado. With the full support of the local mayor and the city’s Education, Health, Tourism Offices, the spa is inviting local visitors and residents to enjoy a wide range of complimentary wellness sessions the entire week of June 3 to 10
Italy: The Italian skincare company Comfort Zone has encouraged 50 of the Italian spas that carry their products to create local events and many other independent wellness centers. The company is also launching an “I Sustain Beauty” campaign that day to motivate partner spas and hair salons to commit to projects supporting a positive impact on social, artistic and natural beauty.
Japan:
The country’s GWD ambassador has garnered the support of CIDESCO Nippon as well as Nihon Esthetic Association to approach the schools and to spread GWD in Japan.
Greece:
At Grace Santorini, enjoy a complimentary morning meditation and yoga session on Skaros Rock, overlooking the island and Aegean Sea with the property’s in-house instructor in honor of Global Wellness Day. Following the 7:30am class, enjoy the special detox breakfast with items like a Kale Detox Smoothie or ‘Sperna’ spiced wheat berry and fruit salad with honey and sesame. Top the day off with 363 Bar Mixologist Yiannis Karavias’ special Green Tea Detox (non-alcoholic) cocktail that melds the benefits of green tea, ginger, lemongrass, mint and green apple.
Greece:
Grace Mykonos will be offering healthy, detoxifying menus throughout the day. Guests can start the day with an invigorating breakfast including items like apple oatmeal porridge with Korinthos raisins and a green protein detox smoothie with almond milk, almond butter, banana and kale. For a mid-afternoon “pick me up” guests can refresh with the property’s Global Wellness inspired drink, Ginger Cucumber Apple Detox Juice, which helps to release toxins from the body while aiding the digestive system. Lastly, guests can indulge in a special Global Wellness dinner with a quinoa salad with grilled asparagus, fresh peaches, almonds and tyrovolia, pan seared sea bass with roasted beets and passion fruit semifreddo with black sesame “Pasteli” for a light dessert.
Some more hospitality and spa Industry leaders committed to company-wide participation also include…
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Fairmont Hotels, Constance Hotels and Resorts, ROYAT, Talise Spa (group of Jumeriah Hotels & Resorts), LUX Hotels & Resorts Group, Grace Hotels, GOCO Spas & GOCO Retreats, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Fairmont, Raffles, SIX SENSES, Marriott Spas, Thalasso & Spa Serge Blanco, Richmond International, St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, SENSE SPA, Kurotel, Divani Apollon Palace, Best Alpine Wellness Hotels, Accor Hotels, WTS International, Blu Spas, Hilton Group, Red Door Spas, OberoiI Spas, Chuan Spas, Shangri-la Bosphorus Istanbul and Swiss Hotel.
To learn more about Global Wellness Day, visit here.