MP pushes for 'history of Belarusian statehood' in university curriculum

The History of Statehood should be added to curricula of Belarusian universities, Doctor of History and MP Ihar Marzaluk wrote in the presidential administration's newspaper SB. Belarus Today.

Mr Marzaluk stresses in his article that "studing Belarusian history is one of the main priorities of the state policy. History along with literature shape personality." He underlines that this discipline does not exist in any foreign university's curriculum. "In my view, we will be the first country to have introduced this subject in the university curriculum. Furthermore, this subject is an anchorage for all the other humanities," he writes.

The MP also proposes to hold the Congress of Belarusian Historians "to bring together all the leading scholars in this country." He first voiced this idea at the II Congress of Belarusian Scholars in December 2017. 

Mr Marzaluk also proposes to establish the National Memory Institute, which will act as a coordinating and expertise center, will "monitor on a permanent basis the history agenda and policy of our neighbors and opponents, will react swiftly to the attempts to falsify and distort the history of Belarus." 

At the same time, Mr Marzaluk speaks out against bans on certain topics in history. "I always act against banned topics in history. Bans are the best advertising, always and everywhere. In the age of internet, there can be no banned topics. Only the truth can beat lies." Hence, he proposes to develop a scientific concept of national history as soon as possible.