International Vyshyvanka Day, celebrated annually on the third Thursday of May, honors the traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt known as the vyshyvanka. More than just a folk garment, the vyshyvanka is a powerful emblem of Ukrainian national identity, cultural heritage, and resilience. Its intricate patterns—unique to different regions—tell stories of history, family, and faith, serving as a visible thread that unites Ukrainians across generations and continents.
In recent years, especially since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, Vyshyvanka Day has taken on a deeper significance. It has become a potent symbol of resistance and defiance against attempts to erase Ukrainian culture. Ukrainians donning their vyshyvankas both at home and abroad express solidarity and pride in their heritage, asserting their right to exist as a free, distinct people.
However, in Ukrainian territories currently under russian occupation, the vyshyvanka and other national symbols face a growing threat. Reports have emerged of traditional Ukrainian clothing being banned, cultural institutions shuttered, and local traditions suppressed. In these areas, wearing a vyshyvanka can be viewed as an act of dissent—dangerous, yet deeply meaningful. The suppression of national attire is part of a broader campaign to rewrite identities and assimilate Ukrainians into a foreign narrative.
As such, International Vyshyvanka Day is not only a celebration but also a call to action—a reminder of the importance of preserving cultural heritage under threat. 2025 Vyshyvanka Day campaign calls for bringing awareness to occupied territories and to wear vyshyvankas for those who cannot. Those regions are Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and Crimea. If you own a vyshyvanka, wear it proudly on May 15th, take a photo and dedicate it to the people on occupied territories of region of your choice. Use your voice - and your vyshyvanka - to bring attention to occupied heritage and the threat that is russian occupation. Don’t have a vyshyvanka yet? No worries, Etnodim can help you start building your cherished vyshyvanka collection.
Every stitch in a vyshyvanka stands as quiet resistance to cultural erasure. For Ukrainians and allies around the world, wearing one on this day is a powerful declaration: that Ukrainian culture will endure, flourish, and never be forgotten.
ВСЕСВІТНІЙ ДЕНЬ ВИШИВАНКИ – 2025
Окупована росією спадщина — це тимчасово. Українська культура — вічна.
Донеччина, Луганщина, Херсонщина, Харківщина, Запоріжжя, Крим — це Україна. Окупована спадщина: врятувати від забуття, вберегти для нащадків.
15 травня — Всесвітній День Вишиванки
Ukrainian culture is eternal. russia’s occupation of Ukrainian heritage is temporary.
Let us remember what they try to erase.
Let us preserve Ukraine’s cultural heritage for future generations.
May 15 – World Vyshyvanka Day