Disney cast members performed a series of yoga exercises at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. AP

From Colombo to Kabul and Nairobi to New York, high-profile politicians and the hoi polloi came out in large numbers to showcase their yoga postures and send a message of unity on the occasion of the fifth International Yoga Day on Friday.

If President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena urged everyone to practice yoga just like him, thousands of people including Indian expats celebrated Yoga Day in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, with a message of peace and harmony.

In Sri Lanka, several events are being organised to mark the International Day of Yoga.

Hundreds of students along with provincial governor Suren Raghavan attended a Yoga programme in Tamil-majority Northern Province. The participants performed several yoga asanas under the supervision of trained Yoga gurus.

Yoga enthusiasts practice yoga in the mountain village of Qiqi in Zhangjiajie, China's central Hunan Province. AFP

People do yoga in Times Square,New York. AFP

Indian people take part in a yoga session during the International Yoga Day. AFP

Indian Bollywood actress Malaika Arora performs yoga poses. AFP

Nepali yoga practitioners take part in a yoga session class on International Yoga Day. AFP

A girl performs yoga on the rocky crest of the Ancient Observatory Kokino.

People take part in a yoga class as the sun rises during the Summer Solstice, from atop the London Eye, in London. Reuters

A yoga enthusiast practices yoga in the mountain village of Qiqi in Zhangjiajie, China's central Hunan Province. AFP

Members of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) perform yoga on International Yoga Day at the Bison Polo Grounds in Hyderabad, India. AP

"I compliment my friend @narendramodi for his efforts at bringing our common heritage of Yoga to the international stage. I urge all to practice yoga like me," Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena tweeted on Friday.

Yoga Day was also celebrated in countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Bhutan, Uzbekistan, Germany and Singapore, among others.

"At an excellent initiative of Mr. Atiqul Islam, Mayor of #Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), a yoga session was conducted at #Uttara park today," the High Commission of India in Bangladesh tweeted.

"Yoga in front of #White House #YogaDay2019," tweeted the Indian Embassy in Washington.

At an event in Beijing, China Indian Ambassador Vikram Misri and diplomats from other countries, including Nepal's envoy to China, preformed various poses of yoga with hundreds of people.

"Yoga represents aspirations of the people from India and China... it is beneficial to work together in spirit of 'friendship and cooperation'," Misri said.

In Nepal, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli led the fifth International Yoga Day celebrations attended by fitness enthusiasts in the country's capital on Friday.

Indo-Asian News Service