Vyshyvanka Unites Ukrainians From All Over Canada

Vyshyvanka Night is held at the Winnipeg Art Gallery as part of the XXVII Triennial Congress of Ukrainian Canadians. Leaders and activists of the Ukrainian-Canadian community wore their best-embroidered shirts, thus emphasizing the importance of preserving Ukrainian culture during the war.

The first day of the XXVII Triennial Congress turned out to be very efficient and productive for its participants, so the most influential leaders of the Ukrainian community ended the evening in an informal meeting.

"Due to covid-19, we did not get together for a very long time, all conferences were held via ZOOM. That's why we decided to organize something informal to give people the opportunity to meet and talk. And, obviously, Vyshyvanka is a cultural heritage for all of us and unites us. Vyshyvanka Night is like Vyshyvanka Day, but larger and bigger, says the organizer of Vyshyvanka Night, Hanna Sheptur. "This year almost 400 delegates from different provinces of Canada gathered around Ukrainian culture. And some delegates even came from the Yukon. This is the first time in history that Ukrainians came from the ocean from the west to the ocean from the east", says Hanna Sheptur.

According to the President of the World Congress of Ukrainians Paul Grod, this year the Ukrainian-Canadian community is more united than ever before.

"Unity is our strength. We can have access at the highest levels. We are known to be a large community, but also very organized, united, and influential. We really work as one global team. We are one Ukrainian nation. We are not Ukrainians from Canada, we are not Ukrainians from Argentina or Portugal. We are all Ukrainians, regardless of where we live. Ukrainians both in Canada and around the world are doing everything possible to ensure the future of the Ukrainian state. So that we live as one great nation and be able to resist Russian aggression," declared the President of the World Congress of Ukrainians Pavlo Grod.

Among the guests of honor at the Ukrainian event is the Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada, Yuliia Kovaliv.

Yuliya Kovaliv began her speech with these words: "You are our strength, you are our great Ukrainian community, not only here in Canada and an example of the Ukrainian community to all communities around the world."

At a time when Putin's troops are waging a bloody war on Ukrainian soil, Yuliya Kovaliv emphasizes the importance of preserving Ukrainian identity and culture: "Today, this congress is very special. All of us who are here are happy to wear Ukrainian vyshyvanka, and now many Ukrainians who live in Russian occupation are taken to prison, they are tortured just because they are Ukrainians, just because they have a Ukrainian passport and speak Ukrainian language, want their children to continue studying in a Ukrainian school. Today, we must understand and appreciate our Ukrainian culture, identity and history even more.

Over the past 8 months, Canada has accepted more than 100,000 Ukrainians. Therefore, it is impossible not to notice the strengthening and influence of the Ukrainian community, assures Yevgenia Tatarenko. The woman is sure that in the future the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada will increase and help Ukraine even beyond its borders.

"It is very interesting to see the new arrivals and their contribution to the development of Canadian and Ukrainian culture. We will see that in 1-2 years the people who recently arrived will also change the Ukrainian community. They brought with them a lot of European experience. Ukraine is a very pro-European country, it has been very developed in recent years. We will see the development of the Ukrainian community. The most important thing is that we must be united. Unity is what will give us an impetus to change and develop the Ukrainian community. And then we will be able to help Ukraine even more," says Yevgenia Tatarenko.

Filled with indomitability and the spirit of victory, the delegates end the evening with the slogan "Glory to Ukraine!"

Yuliia Kovalenko, Ukrainian View, U MULTICULTURAL