This Thursday, International Yoga Day, yoga enthusiasts can practice their favorite poses with the Old City of Jerusalem as a backdrop. In honor of the day, hundreds of yoga mats will be used to assemble a huge painting titled "The Great Dream – Jerusalem 2048," created for the event by local illustrator Amit Trainin.
The painting emerged after hundreds of Jerusalem residents were asked how they want their city to look in 30 years. Trainin, a lecturer at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, worked their ideas into his painting, then cut his finished work into numbered pieces that were printed on the 701 yoga mats that will be used on Thursday.
The yoga and art extravaganza is a joint venture by the Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Ministry, the Jerusalem Municipality, the Jerusalem Development Authority, and the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.
Airline Cathay Pacific, which launched direct flights from Tel Aviv to Hong Kong last year, volunteered to ship the yoga mats for the event.
Jerusalem Development Authority CEO Eyal Haimovsky said, "The international yoga event represents a high point for the popular yoga activity that takes place every Friday in the Sultan's Pool."
