“Embrace each other, my brothers!”

A cultural, artistic, social, and political action took place in Chernivtsi. The traditional Ukrainian towel for Taras Shev­chenko is being embroidered on voluntary basis by the top-notch masters of traditional embroi­dery from all Ukrainian oblasts. According to the or­ga­nizers of the actions, they are not paid for this, since it is a cultural and social action. So, each willing Cher­nivtsi dweller had a chance to participate and honor Shev­chen­ko by making at least several stitches on the canvas. The re­gio­nal tour of the action started on the central square of Chernivtsi near the monument to Kobzar. The best craftsmen of Bukovyna and volunteers em­broi­dered the towel in the court­yard of the city hall. The appro­ximate size of the hemp cloth is 7 by 0.65 meters. The required elements are frag­ments from Shevchenko’s poems: “Em­brace each other, my bro­thers! I be­seech, I beg you!”, “In your house, yours is the truth, and strength, and will,” “Learn the foreign, but do not shun your own.” The organizers hope that the action will conso­li­date the spirit of Ukrainianness and remind us that we are the carriers of our own culture and spi­ri­tua­lity, masters of our land, given by God and fate. And the towel will become a sign of our generation’s respect, love, and gratitude to Shev­chenko. The event is held by the depart­ment of culture at the Chernivtsi Oblast State Ad­mi­nistration and spon­so­red by the Chernivtsi City Coun­cil.