WATCH: When Macron, Merkel met and greeted each other with 'Namaste' in time of COVID-19
The two leaders have now joined the list of world leaders including US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who have adopted the traditional style of greeting in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Ditching handshake, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed German Chancellor Angela Merkel with a "namaste" at his Mediterranean holiday retreat, the Fort of Bregancon, in southern France, on Thursday. Both leaders switched to the Indian style of greeting in observance of social-distancing guidelines against coronavirus spread.
Watch the video here:
Namaste is Global !
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) August 20, 2020
????:When Emmanuel Macron, President of France and Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany greet each other with Namastepic.twitter.com/jHUhW2CfPY
They were meeting at Macron's summer residence to discuss a range of issues including the COVID-19 pandemic, Belarus unrest and growing tensions with Turkey.
The two leaders have now joined the list of world leaders including US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who have adopted the traditional style of greeting in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
In March also, the French President had opted for namaste while greeting Spainish king and queen. In the same month, a video of Prince Charles, 71, greeting people with a namaste in London had gone viral on social media.
The video of Macron and Angela Merkel greeting each other in the Indian way has gone viral on social media.
No one is Indian here. #Namaste ???????? https://t.co/MIzz71xAhm
— Prabhanshu Kumar (@PrabhanshuKumar) August 21, 2020
#Namaste goes global !!
— अयोध्यावासी ????❤️???? (@real_tejasvi) August 21, 2020
???????? ???????? ???????? ????????
I Love my India ❤️ pic.twitter.com/z6oq2MMneO
Namaste???????????? is travelling across the world in Covid19 2020.
— princelakhiwall (@princelakhiwall) August 21, 2020
And
It's Without VISA????#Frenchpresident #Germanchancellor#Merkel-Macron talks https://t.co/5UB0T8JwNO
#NamasteAmdavad
— Dr. OM P. MACHRA IAS (@DrOM_Machra) August 20, 2020
Our #Namaste going global. Emmanuel Macron, President of France and Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany greeting each other with Namaste.@AmdavadAMC started #NamasteAhmedabad campaign in March 2020 to sensitise masses to break the #Covid_19 transmission chain. pic.twitter.com/oKTmFkZVPz
This video of President of France Emmanuel Macron greeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel with a Namaste ???? pic.twitter.com/xlw2yzWh6s
— Monica (@TrulyMonica) August 20, 2020
A greeting that feels better than shaking hands, especially amidst the COVID19 pandemic, a welcoming gesture that is internationally recognized as a symbol of mutual respect and humility - #Namaste
— Skyram Technologies (@skyramindia) August 21, 2020
NAMASTE GOES GLOBAL AMID PANDEMIC
With hand hygiene being the most important preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier promoted the namaste while addressing the India Global Week 2020.
"You would have seen namaste has gone global as a form of greeting. The pandemic has also seen the universal appeal of yoga, Ayurveda and traditional medicine world over. India's ancient culture and universal peaceful ethos are its strength," he was quoted saying at the event.
Here are some more pictures of top leaders opting for the traditional greeting:
