The ‘United Family’ Ukrainian Cultural Centre, located on Calle Río Darro in Las Lagunas, hosted the Vyshyvanka Festival and Borsch Fest last weekend. Organised by the Ukrainian-Spanish Cultural Association Espacio Cultural, the event aimed to bring Ukrainian culture closer to the local community, highlighting two of its greatest symbols: the ‘vyshyvanka’, a traditional shirt, and ‘borsch’, the popular beetroot soup recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
From Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th of May, attendees enjoyed a varied programme including traditional food, a craft fair, cultural workshops, concerts and a catwalk of ethnic costumes by designer Nadiya Zelinska. This celebration, which has been running since 2006, revolves around the vyshyvanka, a garment steeped in symbolism and identity. Galyna Lisnycha, president of the association, explained the origins of the festival: “Twenty years ago, a student in Ukraine suggested a day to wear this embroidered shirt. She was at university, her classmates supported her, and that’s how this festival began to be celebrated on the 21st of May”.
- El concejal de Extranjeros, Mario Bravo, junto a la presidenta de la asociación, Galyna Lisnycha, y el grupo de baile que participó el domingo en la cita.
- MIJAS COMUNICACIÓN
Vyshyvanka Day is a very special date, as highlighted by guest artist, Valeriia Koziar, who said: “It is a day when Ukrainian people wear their traditional clothes. It means a lot to us, because it is ours, and it signifies a new life”.
Visitors were also able to sample, one of Ukraine’s most iconic dishes. “It is a vegetable soup with meat from Ukraine, which is also very famous and really good, honestly, and everyone loves it”, explained Lisnycha.
The festival also had a strong charitable focus, featuring a charity auction and raffle. All funds raised will go entirely towards the development and upkeep of the ‘United Family’ Ukrainian Cultural Centre, as well as to humanitarian aid.
This group has the backing of the Mijas Town Hall. “Today, representing the Town Hall, we are here to support and encourage them, and also to hope that this war, unjust, like all wars, and, what’s more, illogical, ends as soon as possible”, emphasised the councillor for Foreigners, Mario Bravo (PP), who attended the event.
- El Centro de Cultura Ucraniana Familia Unida está ubicado en la calle Río Darro de Las Lagunas.
- MIJAS COMUNICACIÓN
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