Activists of the Ukrainian Muslimahs League organized a number of events in different cities of Ukraine for Hijab Day. So, the event at the Islamic Cultural Center of Kyiv attracted about 80 people. The program consisted of: contests, quizzes, a lecture on hijab, and a master class on various ways of wearing a hijab.
The present non-Muslim women had the opportunity to meet the followers of Islam and discuss the problems they face. Also, a Muslim fashion show was held: girls in the national clothes of Muslim nations paraded on an improvised podium. Each walkout was accompanied by applause from the audience.
According to Amal Tkachenko, a member of the Ukrainian Muslimahs League, some of the present non-Muslim women were quite well acquainted with the history of Islam and the essence of the creed, so it can be said that such cultural and educational events do have an effect.
In Odesa, activists of the Ukrainian Muslimahs League talked about the image of a woman in world art, the history of the hijab, and the tradition of veiling in different nations of the world – from antiquity to the present. After that, there was a quiz with prizes, and everyone who wanted, had an opportunity to try on hijab and traditional Muslim clothes.
According to World Hijab Day in Kyiv, a member of the Ukrainian Muslimahs League, they prepared presentations about the hijab and showed the guests fashionable ways to wear it, so that they could see for themselves how comfortable this outfit is:
“Organizing such an event is an opportunity to tell people about our religion, about the hijab, about a woman in a hijab, and thus reduce the level of stereotypical thinking in Ukraine. Such information will help non-Muslims to better understand Muslims and the Islamic religion, and us, Ukrainians, to find a common language and be united.”
In Lviv, the guests of the event organized by activists of the Ukrainian Muslimahs League were mostly non-Muslim women. This corresponds to the main goal of the day: to convey undistorted information about the hijab to followers of other religions, to disprove misconceptions, to talk about the rights of Muslim women. The attendees learned, in particular, that Islam actually gives a woman inner freedom.
As Dinara Amrullaeva, an activist of the Ukrainian Muslimahs League, reported, the program also included stories about the tradition of covering up, which women in Ukrainian society have long followed.
“The guests learned about the women’s clothing of the nations of the Muslim world. Competitions and quizzes also helped to consolidate knowledge about the rights and status of women in Islam. Those present enjoyed trying to put a hijab, painting [hands] with mehendi, and trying on the image of a veiled Muslim woman. The women were photographed in special photo zones, and they were treated to sweets and hot drinks,” said Ms. Dinara.
According to the head of the League, Niyara Mamutova, who took part in the organization of the event in Chernivtsi, the guests learned about the meaning of the hijab for followers of Islam, and Muslim women were once again reminded of their right to dress according to the precepts of the creed:
“This time we prepared a culturally educational program, we talked about different types of traditional clothing, which includes the hijab. The guests thanked us for the event, there were also new displaced sisters . The women did not know about the organization of the holiday in advance, but agreed to continue gathering.”
Mrs. Mamutova noted that such events are of great importance to the non-Muslim community.