European Parliament President Roberta Metsola donned a vyshyvanka this Thursday to show support with Ukrainians celebrating Vyshyvanka Day.
The festival is celebrated every third Thursday of May and seeks to preserve the original folk traditions of creating and wearing ethnic embroidered Ukrainian vyshyvankas.
#UkraineIsEurope 🇺🇦🇪🇺
Today, on #VyshyvankaDay, I join Ukrainians around the world in their tradition to wear a #vyshyvanka.
Ukrainians’ fight for freedom is our fight too.
Thank you @IngridaSimonyte for the initiative. pic.twitter.com/rY7gCK0guD
— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) May 19, 2022
The vyshyvankas are believed to have protective powers according to folklore. Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė invited European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European vice-president Vera Jourova and Metsola to wear a vyshyvanka.
They were asked to wear it as a symbol of EU belief in the power of Ukraine. Metsola accepted the invitation and tweeted out: ‘Ukrainians’ fight for freedom is our fight too.’
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