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NEWS
GWD one of only 15 Instagram accounts followed by Harry & Meghan
POSTED 07 Aug 2019 . BY Jane Kitchen
Aksoy founded Global Wellness Day in 2012, bringing her vision to the world that wellness is not a luxury but the inherent right of every individual
Aksoy founded Global Wellness Day in 2012, bringing her vision to the world that wellness is not a luxury but the inherent right of every individual
UK’s Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have announced the 15 Instagram accounts that they’re following, after they unfollowed everyone and requested people to recommend worthy causes for them to follow.

The royal couple choose 15 worthy charities each month to follow, creating publicity for those causes and sharing their missions with their 9.3 million Instagram followers.

Among the 15 causes selected this month: Global Wellness Day, the nonprofit founded by Belgin Aksoy that offers a range of free health and wellness activities to the public, and which many spas across the world are involved in.

“We are still doing the happy dance,” said Aksoy. “I was hoping so much for this. It’s just amazing to see that all the voluntary work and sleepless nights of the Global Wellness Day family towards our global shared dream of ‘living well’ has also been crowned by the British Royal Family. We look up to their Royal Highness The Duke and Duchess of Sussex for using their platform to shoutout for inspiring organisations and initiatives that work for the things that matter.”

Aksoy founded Global Wellness Day in 2012, bringing her vision to the world that wellness is not a luxury but the inherent right of every individual. Global Wellness Day is celebrated on the second Saturday of June each year with free wellness activities across the globe and the idea that “one day you can change your whole life”.

In 2019, the event reached more than 7,000 locations in 150+ countries across six continents – resulting in millions of people getting involved.

In the eight years since its inception, the annual celebration of wellness has grown exponentially and this year saw the involvement of a host of high-profile celebrities, even before the Royals got involved.

These included Oprah Winfrey and her friend Gayle King posting on social media how they were celebrating GWD by taking a morning hike with the dogs.

Aksoy’s dream of celebrating a day dedicated to wellness has now inspired an international network of more than 87 GWD Ambassadors, 25 Key Supporters and four Advisors to organise free wellness events around the globe.

New countries taking part in the event this year included the Cayman Islands, China, Peru, Kenya, Zimbabwe and the Dominican Republic.

“The beauty of GWD is that no matter where in the world it is celebrated, the aim is to always take the current wellness level of the community and enhance it with complimentary wellness activities," she said. "GWD events range from having lice cleaned from children’s hair in Myanmar 'No Man’s Land' to yoga with celebrity instructors on the Helipad of Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. GWD is inclusive, embracing and a fit for any community. That’s part of what makes it so magical.”

RELATED STORIES
  Healthy celebrations organised around the world for Global Wellness Day


Saturday, 8 June 2019 will mark the eighth annual Global Wellness Day (GWD), and thousands of locations across the world – including hotel/spa chains, fitness centres, yoga studios, associations, foundations, hospitals, schools and senior living centres, along with governments, businesses and celebrities – will be celebrating GWD with free, non- commercial, health and wellness activities for the public.
  GWD founder Belgin Aksoy appointed president of the executive board of Turkish Heart Foundation


Global Wellness Day founder Belgin Aksoy has been appointed as the new president of the executive board of Turkish Heart Foundation.
  Global Wellness Day 2018 to focus on kids’ wellness


Global Wellness Day – an international celebration offering a range of free health and wellness activities to the public – will be celebrated this year in more than 4,000 locations in 100 countries on 9 June.
  Global Wellness Day launches new project for kids


The nonprofit Global Wellness Day has launched a new project, GWD Kids, with an aim to provide breathing, mindfulness and self-love lessons to young children around the world.
MORE NEWS
OMA completes New Museum transformation with landmark expansion and Oberon restaurant
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance, hospitality and public programming.
David Rockwell creates immersive magic destination, The Hand and The Eye
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and private membership under one roof.
Montana Heritage Center opens with immersive exhibits and US$107 million investment
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana Heritage Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
Universal launches new theme park model with Kids Resort
Universal Destinations and Experiences has launched a new regional theme park model with the opening of Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas.
+ More news   
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Vekoma Rides has a large variety of coasters and attractions. [more...]
DJW

David & Lynn Willrich started the Company over thirty years ago, from the Audio Visual Department [more...]
Polin Waterparks

Polin was founded in Istanbul in 1976. Polin has since grown into a leading company in the waterpa [more...]
Painting With Light

By combining lighting, video, scenic and architectural elements, sound and special effects we tell s [more...]
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Wellness Destination AI Tech Summit – Tourism, Hospitality & Real Estate, 28-29 Sept 2026

Grand Ballroom, METT Singapore, Singapore
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NEWS
GWD one of only 15 Instagram accounts followed by Harry & Meghan
POSTED 07 Aug 2019 . BY Jane Kitchen
Aksoy founded Global Wellness Day in 2012, bringing her vision to the world that wellness is not a luxury but the inherent right of every individual
Aksoy founded Global Wellness Day in 2012, bringing her vision to the world that wellness is not a luxury but the inherent right of every individual
UK’s Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have announced the 15 Instagram accounts that they’re following, after they unfollowed everyone and requested people to recommend worthy causes for them to follow.

The royal couple choose 15 worthy charities each month to follow, creating publicity for those causes and sharing their missions with their 9.3 million Instagram followers.

Among the 15 causes selected this month: Global Wellness Day, the nonprofit founded by Belgin Aksoy that offers a range of free health and wellness activities to the public, and which many spas across the world are involved in.

“We are still doing the happy dance,” said Aksoy. “I was hoping so much for this. It’s just amazing to see that all the voluntary work and sleepless nights of the Global Wellness Day family towards our global shared dream of ‘living well’ has also been crowned by the British Royal Family. We look up to their Royal Highness The Duke and Duchess of Sussex for using their platform to shoutout for inspiring organisations and initiatives that work for the things that matter.”

Aksoy founded Global Wellness Day in 2012, bringing her vision to the world that wellness is not a luxury but the inherent right of every individual. Global Wellness Day is celebrated on the second Saturday of June each year with free wellness activities across the globe and the idea that “one day you can change your whole life”.

In 2019, the event reached more than 7,000 locations in 150+ countries across six continents – resulting in millions of people getting involved.

In the eight years since its inception, the annual celebration of wellness has grown exponentially and this year saw the involvement of a host of high-profile celebrities, even before the Royals got involved.

These included Oprah Winfrey and her friend Gayle King posting on social media how they were celebrating GWD by taking a morning hike with the dogs.

Aksoy’s dream of celebrating a day dedicated to wellness has now inspired an international network of more than 87 GWD Ambassadors, 25 Key Supporters and four Advisors to organise free wellness events around the globe.

New countries taking part in the event this year included the Cayman Islands, China, Peru, Kenya, Zimbabwe and the Dominican Republic.

“The beauty of GWD is that no matter where in the world it is celebrated, the aim is to always take the current wellness level of the community and enhance it with complimentary wellness activities," she said. "GWD events range from having lice cleaned from children’s hair in Myanmar 'No Man’s Land' to yoga with celebrity instructors on the Helipad of Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. GWD is inclusive, embracing and a fit for any community. That’s part of what makes it so magical.”

RELATED STORIES
Healthy celebrations organised around the world for Global Wellness Day


Saturday, 8 June 2019 will mark the eighth annual Global Wellness Day (GWD), and thousands of locations across the world – including hotel/spa chains, fitness centres, yoga studios, associations, foundations, hospitals, schools and senior living centres, along with governments, businesses and celebrities – will be celebrating GWD with free, non- commercial, health and wellness activities for the public.
GWD founder Belgin Aksoy appointed president of the executive board of Turkish Heart Foundation


Global Wellness Day founder Belgin Aksoy has been appointed as the new president of the executive board of Turkish Heart Foundation.
Global Wellness Day 2018 to focus on kids’ wellness


Global Wellness Day – an international celebration offering a range of free health and wellness activities to the public – will be celebrated this year in more than 4,000 locations in 100 countries on 9 June.
Global Wellness Day launches new project for kids


The nonprofit Global Wellness Day has launched a new project, GWD Kids, with an aim to provide breathing, mindfulness and self-love lessons to young children around the world.
MORE NEWS
OMA completes New Museum transformation with landmark expansion and Oberon restaurant
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance, hospitality and public programming.
David Rockwell creates immersive magic destination, The Hand and The Eye
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and private membership under one roof.
Montana Heritage Center opens with immersive exhibits and US$107 million investment
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana Heritage Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
Universal launches new theme park model with Kids Resort
Universal Destinations and Experiences has launched a new regional theme park model with the opening of Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas.
San Antonio Zoo reports $283 million economic impact as expansion plans progress
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade- long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas attraction.
Great Barrier Reef attraction set for AU$180 million reinvention
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef education and conservation.
+ More news   
 
COMPANY PROFILES
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V.

Vekoma Rides has a large variety of coasters and attractions. [more...]
DJW

David & Lynn Willrich started the Company over thirty years ago, from the Audio Visual Department [more...]
Polin Waterparks

Polin was founded in Istanbul in 1976. Polin has since grown into a leading company in the waterpa [more...]
Painting With Light

By combining lighting, video, scenic and architectural elements, sound and special effects we tell s [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  
DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
28-29 Sep 2026

Wellness Destination AI Tech Summit – Tourism, Hospitality & Real Estate, 28-29 Sept 2026

Grand Ballroom, METT Singapore, Singapore
+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
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LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
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