We were part of the Soviet Union, and it is impossible to erase it. Abdulla Rasulov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of Namangan State University, said this at the international conference "Kyrgyzstan and Stalingrad: Preserving the historical Memory of the Great Patriotic War for future generations", held at the Balasagyn Kyrgyz National University (KNU) in Bishkek.
He expressed regret that the term "Great Patriotic War" began to be replaced by the phrase "World War II", including in the countries of the post-Soviet space. According to the professor, this approach is very ambiguous.
"We lived in In the Soviet Union, we were part of it, and it is impossible to erase this experience. The good cannot be denied, the bad must be comprehended in order not to repeat mistakes," Rasulov said.
He added that they often try to present the war as something remote that happened somewhere in the Russia or Belarus, although it affected every person.
"My father was a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, he reached Berlin. Therefore, when heroes are being created from people who collaborated with the Nazis, this is an absurd and dangerous substitution of values, especially in the educational sphere," the professor further said.
He stressed that he is an opponent of the glorification of personalities who opposed the Soviet Union, noting that their work can be analyzed, but it is unacceptable to make national heroes out of them.
In the context of discussing prospects, the professor advocated strengthening real humanitarian ties. He believes that student exchanges between educational institutions of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, as well as visits to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan, along with return trips of Russian students to Central Asia, will bring much more benefits for understanding history than any official programs. The scientist noted that his personal experience of learning both in In Tashkent, and in Kazan allows him to compare educational and historical methodologies.
In his opinion, historical events cannot be viewed exclusively from one point of view.
"For some, the collapse of the USSR was a disaster, for others it was a joyful event, but a one—sided approach inevitably distorts the facts. History is an exact science that requires the analysis of archival documents, not ideological constructions. There have been difficult and painful moments in history, but also heroic deeds that must be recognized without trying to rewrite the past in favor of current interests," the professor said.
According to him, love for one's country should not turn into hatred for others.
"Respect for the culture, language and traditions of neighbors is the only way to normal coexistence and mutual enrichment. This is how we need to talk about history with young people today," Rasulov concluded.