On 2 August 2025, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Botswana hosted a public cultural and gastronomic event — Ukrainian Cuisine Night — dedicated to the intangible cultural heritage of Ukraine, particularly the iconic Ukrainian borscht, officially recognized by UNESCO in 2022.

The event took place at the Serbian Orthodox Church grounds in Gaborone, bringing together over 150 guests including members of the diplomatic corps, local community leaders, journalists, artists, students, and civil society representatives.

Guests were treated to over 25 traditional Ukrainian dishes, prepared by members of the Ukrainian community in Botswana and Embassy diplomats. The menu featured such staples as borscht, varenyky, deruny, holubtsi, banosh, Olivier salad, pyrizhky, nalysnyky, medovyk and more. A themed cocktail bar offered drinks named after Ukrainian cities — Kyiv, Mariupol, Bakhmut — each telling a symbolic story.

A fundraising campaign was also conducted in support of the robotic evacuation systems initiative launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, aimed at saving lives of wounded soldiers on the front line.

The event served as an effective platform for public and cultural diplomacy, strengthening ties with the local community, enhancing intercultural exchange, and promoting awareness about Ukraine in the Southern African region.

The Embassy expresses its sincere gratitude to the Ukrainian community in Gaborone for their invaluable contribution and to all attendees for their interest and support for Ukraine.