Vyshyvanka Day – on the third Thursday of May

The Vyshyvanka Day is an international holiday, that we began to celebrate before two decades. Everyone wishing to emphasize their Ukrainian heritage can wear an embroidered blouse.

On this day, Ukrainian folk traditions are to be preserved through ethnically embroidered clothing. Such a blouse is much more than just fabric. It is like a symbol of identity, like a legacy that has lasted for generations.

The idea for Vyshyvanka Day originated in 2006 with Lesia Voroniuk, then a student at Chernivtsi National University (founded in 1875 as Franz Joseph University).

L. Voroniuk suggested that students choose a day to wear embroidered blouses together. Initially, only a few students and some professors wore vyshyvanka ( (in Ukrainian – Вишиванка). In the following years, however, the celebration developed into a nationwide Ukrainian event. Colleagues from other universities, as well as libraries, schools, and kindergartens, participated. Later, this idea attracted the Ukrainian diaspora worldwide and Ukrainian supporters.

The Vyshyvanka holiday was deliberately chosen for a weekday, not a weekend, to emphasize that the Vyshyvanka is “part of Ukrainian life and culture, not an ancient artifact.”

Just as national costumes are still proudly worn at folk festivals all over the world, the Vyshyvanka is a vibrant part of contemporary life in Ukraine. It is worn not only on special occasions but also in everyday life as an expression of connection to one’s roots.

The fifth anniversary of this holiday in 2011 was particularly significant, as it marked the achievement of a Guinness World Record. More than 4,000 people wearing embroidered Vyshyvanka shirts gathered in Chernivtsi’s central square. That same year, a giant embroidered blouse (4 x 10 meters) was created for the main building of Chernivtsi University.

In 2014, a competition was held for the best family photo in embroidered shirts. Among the highlights were the results of the nationwide photo contest “My Family in Embroidered Shirts” across Ukraine. The holiday was adopted by eight countries worldwide: Canada, the USA, Italy, Germany, France, Russia, Romania, and Portugal.

In 2015, this holiday was introduced with the slogan “Give the Defender a Vyshyvanka!” The day of remembrance was celebrated globally, with approximately 50 countries participating. The organizers called for strengthening the fighting spirit and morale of Ukrainian soldiers in the ATO zone.

On the 18th May 2017, members of the Verkhovna Rada (Верховна Рада України, Supreme Council, the Ukrainian parliament) appeared in the plenary hall wearing embroidered shirts. Additionally, a collection of embroidered blouses by designer Olesya Telyzhenko was presented in the Ukrainian parliament.

Vyshyvanka, as well as pysanka (Писанка, traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs), are among the most recognizable symbols of Ukrainian culture. The popularity of this holiday is enhanced by the perception of the embroidered shirt as a talisman and the growing popularity of regional embroidery traditions in Ukraine. This has contributed to the incorporation of traditional embroidery elements into modern clothing. The holiday is dedicated to Ukrainian family and genealogy. Please wear elements of Ukrainian ethnic clothing!

The Wyschywanka Day – on the third Thursday in May:

May 21, 2026

May 20, 2027

May 18, 2028

May 17, 2029

May 16, 2030