'Mavka' and Vyshyvanka: How Ukraine Introduced Itself to Nigerian Children

• To infuse high-level engagements with deeper people-to-people connections, the Ukrainian Embassy in Nigeria put together cultural diplomacy programmes
• In June 2025, the Embassy of Ukraine in Abuja, in cooperation with the Abuja World Academy, held two consecutive events
• The events were aimed at promoting Ukrainian culture among the younger generation of Nigerians

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering global affairs.

FCT, Abuja - Representatives of Ukraine's Embassy in Abuja on Friday, June 20, organised a notable cultural programme focused on the European country's history, traditions, and national symbolism.

Legit.ng reports that at the event, students of Abuja World Academy had the opportunity to dress up in specially made traditional Ukrainian costumes, listen to the national anthem of Ukraine, dance the hopak, and taste Ukrainian cuisine.

Particular attention was given to the embroidered shirt (vyshyvanka) as a bearer of deep symbolic meaning and a key element of national identity.

Children engaged with cultural artifacts provided by the Embassy, including traditional towels (rushnyky) and dolls (motanka), embroidered shirts, and the mace, as a symbol of authority.

Furthermore, a photo exhibition was organised for the students’ parents, featuring displays dedicated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Ukraine's Constitution Day

Meanwhile, on Saturday, June 28, to mark Constitution Day of Ukraine, the Embassy hosted a screening of the animated film 'Mavka: The Forest Song' in Abuja.

Legit.ng reports that the film has drawn considerable attention both in Ukraine and internationally, becoming a significant cultural product in the field of national animation. Based on the classic poem by Lesya Ukrainka and deeply rooted in Ukrainian mythology, the film combines modern animation technology, vibrant visuals, and profound moral messages.

Through the language of fairytale, the film presents Ukraine as a country where amid a protracted war, beauty, love, and freedom remain unshakable values.

In his address, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Nigeria, Ivan Kholostenko, said:

“We firmly believe that the best way to speak about Ukraine is to speak to the heart. And children’s hearts are open to sincere stories, to beauty, to goodness and justice. That is why we introduce our country to young audiences through fairytales.

"Mavka is not just a folklore heroine — she is a messenger of our values: love for nature, dignity, inner strength. We believe in cultural diplomacy as a tool of empathy, solidarity, and building a future based on mutual understanding.”

Read more on Ukraine:

• Russian terror: Ukraine envoy urges Africa to act as Putin launches mass missile, drone strikes
• Ukraine relies on friends as Russia strikes power grid

Ukraine captures Nigerian fighting for Russia

Earlier, Legit.ng Ukrainian forces, called the Freedom of Russia Legion, captured a Nigerian national who was fighting on the side of Russian forces.

The 29-year-old Nigerian mercenary, Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, was captured by Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

According to the I Want to Live social project, the Nigerian is one of hundreds of foreigners Russia has been recruiting to fight against Ukraine.

Source: Legit.ng