Ukraine Celebrates Vyshyvanka Day Worldwide
On the third Thursday of May, Ukraine traditionally celebrates Vyshyvanka Day — a day dedicated to the traditional embroidered shirt that symbolizes national identity and cultural heritage.
Although not an official holiday, Vyshyvanka Day is widely celebrated both in Ukraine and abroad, CE Report quotes Ukrinform.
The initiative began in 2006 with students from the Faculty of History, Political Science, and International Relations at Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, who proposed dedicating one day each year to wearing the Ukrainian embroidered shirt.
By 2014, the celebration extended beyond student circles and Ukraine’s borders.
The choice of a weekday (third Thursday of May), rather than a weekend, is deliberate. The organizers emphasize that the vyshyvanka is an organic part of everyday life and culture, not a relic or museum piece.
Traditionally, the day features online contests, such as Best Vyshyvanka or Best Vyshyvanka Photo. People from around the world, including Ukrainians living abroad and international supporters, share photos in embroidered shirts on social media.
This year (May 15, 2025), the World Congress of Ukrainians launched the global campaign #VyshyvankaForever, calling on Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine worldwide to support the country’s territorial integrity. The campaign particularly honors those in temporarily occupied territories — Crimea, parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions who cannot freely express their Ukrainian identity.
In Hamburg, Germany, on May 16, charity cultural festival will be held by the Ukrainian community
The Ukrainian community in Toronto, Canada has invited everyone to join a festive Vyshyvanka Day march on May 15 at 18:30.
On Ashkelon, Israel, on May 15, Vyshyvanka Fest Ashkelon 2025, a vibrant charity celebration, will take place.
Additionally, the Ukrainian School in Warsaw has invited everyone interested to a vibrant celebration of Vyshyvanka Day — Wyszyvanka Fest 2025 – in the capital of Poland.
In the capital of Türkiye, Ankara, on May 15, there will be a Vyshyvanka Day celebration organized for the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities, Turkish friends, and representatives of the Ukrainian embassy.
The Ukrainian Women’s Initiative in the UAE has invited people to a large-scale cultural event dedicated to Vyshyvanka Day titled Vyshyvanka – the Heart of Ukraine, Woven with Love, which will take place on May 18 at Deerfields Mall shopping center in Abu Dhabi.
