Vyshyvanka Day is an international holiday established in 2006 that aims to preserve the Ukrainian folk traditions of creating and wearing ethnic embroidered clothes called vyshyvankas.  Throughout the years that followed, Vyshyvanka Day became popular all over Ukraine later attracting descendants of  the Ukrainian diaspora from around the world.

Vyshyvankas are, along with pysankas (traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs), one of the best known symbols of Ukrainian culture. Today, this holiday has gained international scale and Ukrainian traditional clothing is worn by people in more than 70 countries. Vyshyvanka Day is the largest Ukrainian event in Canada, where the Ukrainian diaspora numbers more than 1 million Ukrainians. 

Vyshyvanka Day is traditionally celebrated the third Thursday of May and was intentionally set on a weekday and not on the weekend in order to emphasize that the vyshyvanka is “a component of the life and culture of Ukrainians, and not an ancient artifact”. Each region of Ukraine has its own embroidery technique, details, and themes for ornament and traditional embroidery colors. In total, there are about two hundred different embroidery techniques in Ukraine.

Under the  conditions of war, interest in Ukraine and its culture has had a fresh impetus, so much so that the Ukrainian vyshyvanka has become a new global fashion trend.  And for the second year in a row, vyshyvankas are being worn by Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines. Vyshyvanka Day has become a symbol of cultural self-determination and Ukrainians—wearing this special shirt — declare that they are the brave citizens of independent Ukraine fighting for their freedom.

Слава Україні! Героям Слава!