Volodymyr Palagniuk

Volodymyr Palagniuk is the founder of the Vyshyvanka Association, Chair of the Vyshyvanka Committee of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and a dedicated advocate for the Ukrainian community on Parliament Hill.Before immigrating to Canada, Volodymyr was a student rights activist and community leader throughout his high school and university years. He served as Student President of Ukraine and played a pivotal role in coordinating the Chernivtsi Euromaidan.In Canada, Volodymyr founded the Vyshyvanka Association, which consolidated local initiatives and established Vyshyvanka Day—now celebrated in all provinces and territories. He also initiated the Vyshyvanka Parade in Toronto, which has grown into one of the signature events now organized by UCC–Toronto. Following this, he launched the first Born in Vyshyvanka program outside of Ukraine, through which nearly 1000 Ukrainian children born in Canada have received their first embroidered shirts.As Chair of the Vyshyvanka Committee at the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Volodymyr has been deeply committed to promoting Ukrainian culture and raising awareness about Ukraine at every level of Canadian government. He also developed the idea of Vyshyvanka Ribbons for Canadian leaders—an initiative now embraced in the House of Commons, Senate, all provincial and territorial legislatures, and numerous city councils across the country.While working on Parliament Hill, he has organized numerous Ukraine-focused projects, including the Canada–Ukraine Twin Cities Initiative, which has already resulted in seven successful municipal twinning agreements and continues to expand.As a communications professional, Volodymyr is dedicated to amplifying the Ukrainian message among Canadian officials and the public, strengthening ties between Canada and Ukraine, and championing the interests of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada.Volodymyr and his wife Julia are proud parents of their daughter Victoria and son Maxym.