University of South Pacific Open Day. Suva, Fiji, 2006

And an event CNN missed!!

This entry is entirely copied from Wikipedia. But isn's this is a great idea? A Laughter day!!

Wishing you all a very happy, very happy, very productive, laughter day!!

What is World Laughter Day? “World Laughter Day” was created in 1998 by Dr. Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive manifestation for world peace and is intended to build up a global consciousness of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. Its popularity has grown exponentially with that of the Laughter Yoga movement (now counting over 6000 Laughter Clubs worldwide on all 5 continents).

World Laughter Day takes place on the first Sunday in May[1]. The first celebration was on January 11, 1998, in Mumbai, India, and was arranged by Dr Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement.Laughter Yoga says: Laughter is a positive and powerful emotion that has all the ingredients required for individuals to change themselves and to change the world in a peaceful and positive way. The day is now celebrated all over the world. Laughter Yoga (Hasyayoga) is a form of yoga employing self-triggered laughter. The "laughter" is physical in nature, and does not necessarily involve humor or comedy. The concept was developed by Indian guru Jiten Kohi. It was made popular as an exercise routine developed by Indian physician Madan Kataria.[citation needed] Kataria writes about the practice in his book Laugh For No Reason.[1]

Laughter is simulated in a group with eye staring and playfulness,[ developing into real and contagious laughter. It is meant to be a combination of laughing and yoga breathing, in order to bring more oxygen to the body and the brain. Laughter yoga is based on the assumption that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter, and that their physiological and psychological benefits are thus identical.

The laughter groups have been around in India for so long even the wisest of truth-seekers cannot recall precisely the moment this knowledge became. Early morning groups, especially the older men, practiced group laughter in open parks. In recent times, a more formalized version was created and popularized as "Laughter clubs". Kataria's first Laughter Yoga club was started on 13 March, 1995 in Mumbai, India. It began with just 5 people in a local public park, but the concept rapidly spread worldwide and as of 2009 there are more than 6000 laughter parties in 60 countries.