MINSK, 3 July (BelTA) - We need a good textbook on the history of the Great Patriotic War, which will highlight the role of the Belarusian people, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a ceremony to mark Independence Day at the Mound of Glory memorial complex on 3 July, BelTA has learned.
In a conversation with the head of state, university history students and young teachers said that they are engaged in research concerning the history of the Great Patriotic War, understanding the importance of preserving the historical truth about that period of the country's life. They asked for advice on how to educate the younger generation and what things to pay more attention to.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the most important thing is to work honestly.
At the same time, the president expressed the opinion that it is important to prepare a textbook on the history of the Great Patriotic War. "This will be a great achievement if you, the future generation and young people, compile a good war history textbook on the basis of what has already been created, the new facts and the Soviet textbooks (they were good, although they may understate some things). The main thing is that the textbook should pass knowledge," the head of state said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko believes that the textbook should reflect the huge role of the Belarusian people: “I want us to have a good textbook on the history of the Great Patriotic War, a book that will reflect what role the Belarusians played in that war. It will be a great contribution. We can supplement the textbook with documents of those times that we did not want to show not to hurt the feelings of other nations.”
“Do it if you can,” the president said. He added that the BRSM Youth Union and the Belarus President Administration can be asked to join the work on the project.
The head of state believes that it is possible to make a very good textbook: “We need it very much”.
The president emphasized that there are many war monuments in the country, and children should be taken to see them and told about the history of their country. The history of the Great Patriotic War is full of the atrocities and horror that the Nazis committed on the Belarusian soil, and future generations should know about it.
The head of state believes that it is necessary to remind the Western countries about it, too: “We should show it to them. We need to show it to those, who approve sanctions against us, and continue committing terrorist acts in Belarus today.”
