S.Naryshkin: “A history text book is written by people for whom history is a part of life”

Specialists from the Russian Historical Society’s Volga branch would be engaged in writing new history text books, said State Duma chairman, Sergei Naryshkin, while speaking on Tuesday at the organisation’s Volga branch foundation meeting.
Specialists from the newly established RHS branch will take part in writing new teaching materials on domestic history, based on which a series of school text books will be released.
Sergei Naryshkin noted the historical community in the person of Russian Historical Society had suggested that the future books’ concept be developed on the basis of the organisation and the debate of all concerned parties be held here as well. It would later allow avoid criticism of bureaucrats' involvement in writing history books, he said.
“History text books are written by people for whom history is a part of life: historians, university and school professors,” lower parliament chamber speaker stated.
The school history curriculum needs to focus on the historical heritage and culture of the peoples of Russia, he holds. The region’s history always needs to be in correlation with the country’s history as a whole, just as the history of Russia needs to be with the global history.
“I am convinced Tatarstan with its rich traditions of learning and teaching history will be a pilot region, because the Russian Historical Society will have to work on the new concept of teaching history,” Sergei Naryshkin noted.
Even career historians at times failed to reach an agreement regarding some historical events, he added. He called the RHS’s regional branches a convenient platform for synthesising science, culture and public initiatives, designed to help find acceptable for various schools of thought approaches to teaching history and developing assessment of various periods of the past.