Thousands of towels were collected in the Lviv region, setting a national record
A new national record was set in Drohobych, Lviv Oblast, by gathering 1,713 embroidered towels in one place. The massive display was timed to coincide with World Vyshyvanka Day, transforming the city center into a living exhibition of Ukrainian traditions. The event was officially recorded by representatives of the National Register of Records of Ukraine. This was reported by Lana Vetrova, head of the National Register of Records of Ukraine.
An event took place in the city of Drohobych, Lviv Oblast, that combined tradition, memory, and a large-scale community initiative—here, a Ukrainian record was officially certified for the largest number of authentic embroidered towels gathered simultaneously in a single location, totaling 1,713 unique exhibits.
The event was initiated by the Drohobych City Council, which transformed the city center into a large open-air art space with the symbolic name “Mother’s Towel, Living Family Memory,” where each towel became a separate story of a family, a generation, and a region.
To gather such a large number of exhibits, the organizers held a large-scale event involving pupils, students, and teachers from local educational institutions: people lined up in a column near St. Bartholomew’s Church and marched through the central streets to Rynok Square, carrying towels that had been passed down through families for decades.
“The recorded number is 1,713 antique and modern authentic towels. And not a single duplicate, because each one is unique: the magical geometry and plant motifs of Boikivshchyna and Galicia are interwoven with embroidery techniques from different parts of the country. This embroidered diversity stirs the heart. This represents thousands of hours of work by our mothers and grandmothers, brought together into a single living exhibition,” noted Lana Vetrova, head of the National Register of Records of Ukraine.
According to her, the towels presented at the event include both antique and contemporary works, and each one carries not only an ornament but also an emotional and cultural memory shaped over generations.
The organizers emphasize that this exhibition has become not just a cultural event, but a symbol of the unity of Ukrainian traditions, where embroidery serves as a language that preserves the history of families, regions, and the entire country, uniting them in one large living canvas.
In Ukraine, a new annual initiative is being launched to mark World Vyshyvanka Day—the “Embroidered Ribbon of Remembrance” campaign, dedicated to honoring the memory of fallen Ukrainian defenders.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with First Lady Olena Zelenska, addressed the nation with a greeting on the occasion of Vyshyvanka Day, which is traditionally celebrated on the third Thursday of May.
In honor of Vyshyvanka Day, Ukrainian artisan Nadiya Vakulenko shared details about the creation of traditional wedding towels in Reshetylivka. She explained how authentic towels are made, the differences between machine and hand embroidery, and the price differences: machine-made items cost around 10,000 hryvnias, while hand-made ones can reach 30,000–35,000.
On May 21 in Kyiv, to mark Vyshyvanka Day, the mini-sculptures of the city’s founders—Kyiv, Shchek, Khoriv, and Lybid—were updated. The bronze figures on Poshtova Square were adorned with vyshyvankas from various regions of Ukraine. Sculptor Volodymyr Zhuravel also spoke about upcoming updates to these art installations.
The defenders of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a festive message on the occasion of Vyshyvanka Day.
