This year, VATAHA celebrated Vyshyvanka Day in The Hague with a warm and vibrant cultural event at Kunstmuseum Den Haag. The museum became a meeting point for Ukrainian heritage, contemporary art, music, dance, and hands-on creativity, bringing together around 100 participants of different backgrounds in a shared celebration of embroidery and cultural identity.
Vyshyvanka Day is more than an occasion to wear embroidered clothing. It is a moment to honour tradition, preserve memory, and show how cultural heritage continues to live in new contexts. At Kunstmuseum, embroidery became a shared language, connecting personal stories, artistic practices, and communities.
Anastasiia Khomenko, VATAHA’s volunteer and researcher of Ukrainian traditional clothing, notes that “Vyshyvanka Day is important for Ukrainians because it shows that we not only remember our culture and history but also continue to cherish and develop it. We show that Ukraine has a lot to offer the world while literally fighting for survival, continuing to inspire and create beauty.”
The programme opened with presentations about vyshyvanka and traditional clothing from Ukraine, Lithuania, The Netherlands and Estonia. Guests also enjoyed a performance by the duo from Ukrainian International Ballet, a Ukrainian song “Dearest mother of mine” by opera singer Maria Kalytiak, and a performance by an Estonian folk dance group. These contributions created a thoughtful and international dialogue around traditional dress and cultural expression.
The second part of the event invited guests to take part in creative workshops. Participants explored different techniques, including embroidery, appliqué, vybijka, stamps, and traditional decorative crafts. Artists and craft practitioners guided visitors through embroidery on small bags, keychain embroidery, stamps, and darmovysy.
Throughout the afternoon, the event also featured an interactive presentation of traditional Ukrainian clothing and participation in Ukrainian artist Marfa Vasilieva’s project The Carpet of Sorrow and Love, which is planned to be entered into the Guinness World Records.
Visitors could also enjoy photo zones and a special embroidery corner, where they brought unfinished embroidery pieces and received advice from Dutch artist Mieke Klaver.
The setting of Kunstmuseum Den Haag added a special atmosphere to the celebration. As the museum hosts a wonderful collection of modern art, the space created a symbolic connection between heritage, modern art, and communal creativity. As one of the volunteers, Viktoriia mentions, “In the Netherlands, such events help build cultural connections through human connection, art, crafts, and community. They create a sense of home for Ukrainians and help others understand Ukrainian culture better – not through news headlines, but through living tradition and contemporary life.”
We are grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make Vyshyvanka Day in The Hague a meaningful event!
The event was organized by VATAHA Foundation in partnership with Kunstmuseum Den Haag & Fenix Plein. Supported by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands, and made possible by Elise Mathilde Fonds and the Ministry of Asylum and Migration.