Ukraine and its friends around the world celebrate Vyshyvanka Day

Today, on May 18, Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine around the world celebrate Vyshyvanka Day. Vyshyvanka, a sacred national clothing, is a symbol of Ukraine’s rich thousand year old and cultural heritage.

For the seventh year in Latvia, today the Ukrainian community will celebrate Vyshyvanka Day on a large scale, Latvian Radio reported.

In the UK, hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are coming together to honour a homeland tradition which celebrates the country's national dress, reported BBC.

In Ireland, the Ukrainian community will take to the Grand Parade to display their heritage and to mark their first year in Ireland after Russian illegal full-scale military invasion of their country, Echo informed.

In Ukraine, Vyshyvanka has always been considered a talisman. Ukrainians' ancestors believed that the ornament on vyshyvanka has protective features. Embroidery decorated the sleeves and collar of a linen shirt so that it touched the body. It was believed that there should be no nodules on the reverse side, as this can bring misfortune.

Depending on the region of Ukraine, embroidery patterns may differ in colors and patterns.

The vyshyvanka has become a symbol of solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their battle for survival against Russia's barbaric invasion and has given the Ukrainian people the strength to resist and prevail, Ukrainian World Congress said in a statement.

The initiators of World Vyshyvanka Day were students of the Faculty of History, Political Science and International Relations of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. In 2006, they offered to devote one day a year to Ukrainian Vyshyvanka.

We can say that earlier the holiday existed and was celebrated in a narrow circle, but in 2014 it went beyond the circle of conscious Ukrainian students and beyond Ukraine itself.

The founders of the event insist that Vyshyvanka Day should fall on a weekday, not a day off, emphasizing that Vyshyvanka is an organic part of Ukrainian life and culture, and not a forgotten artifact.

On this day, interesting online contests are traditionally held, for example, "Best Vyshyvanka" or "Best photo" in Vyshyvanka. Photos in vyshyvankas are posted online not only by residents of Ukraine, but also by Ukrainians abroad.

So, join us, put on Vyshyvanka and support Ukraine!