First Vyshyvanka Mega March in London

An interesting event with Ukrainian cultural national background took place last weekend in Central London - the First Vyshyvanka Mega March.

Over one and half hundred Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine of all ages got together last Saturday, on 25th of May on Trafalgar Square to demonstrate the beauty and picturesque of Ukrainian national costume.

The First London Vyshyvanka Mega March has been organised by a group of young Ukrainian activists with the support of Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, and Ukrainian Embassy in London as social initiative aimed to promote Ukrainian culture and history across the world.

Vyshyvanka Mega March became a part of Ukrainian project which simultaneously was held in the different cities and countries around the world. Apart from two dozens Ukrainian cities, Ukrainian costume was celebrated in the cities of Andorra, Kazakhstan, Mozambique, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain. It was interesting to note how many young Ukrainians took part in London Mega March, and how many little kossaks were there.

The first demonstration was bright and colourful. Five-mile march in vyshyvankas has started from the heart of London, Trafalger Square where it has received its blessing from the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Volodymyr Handohiy. There was something in Ukrainian anthem and blue-and-yellow flag flying over Trafalgar Square.

After this, the picturesque procession, singing and dancing, moved along the Mall to the Royal Buckingham Palace, and then down the Constitutional Hill through Hyde Park towards the monument of Volodymyr the Great on the Holland Park Avenue.

The event featured perfomances of Ukrainian School, Ukrainian folk songs and dances, games, poems and speeches from Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, and Ukrainian Embassy in London.

Numerous tourists and londoners spending time in sunny London showed live interest to the people in unusual picturesque costumes, and some even managed to participate in Ukrainian national games!

Vyshyvanka Mega March is held for already five years across Ukraine in order to support Ukrainian traditions and to promote Ukrainian culture in Ukraine and in the world. The events are strictly apolitical, and any symbolics, apart from the national, is forbidden. London hosted the event the first time, but the organisers, inspired with the success of Vyshyvanka Mega March are already planning to hold more such events in London and other British cities.