Vladimir Medinsky, who serves as president and vice president of the Russian Military Historical Society, urged adopting a longstanding practice of acknowledging state symbols in American schools through a daily observance.
He noted that for about 150 years, many public and private American schools begin the day with a short reflection on the glory, symbols, and flag of the United States. The words were written by notable American figures in the late 19th century and have remained consistent over time, according to him. Medinsky spoke at a gathering of the interdepartmental commission on history education, which he chairs (summary from sources).
The politician explained that in some states, students might not be able to recite the words aloud if they conflict with personal beliefs, but the practice should stay present in classrooms during the opening observance.
Medinsky urged commission members to approach the Education Ministry with a concrete plan to implement a similar practice in educational institutions immediately, stressing the need to act with the powers available.
The proposal received unanimous support among participants. Medinsky stated that a protocol would be signed and forwarded to the Minister of Education.
Most American schools and kindergartens hold a solemn daily ceremony to raise the national and state flags. Singing the national anthem is common but not mandatory. In 1962, a landmark Supreme Court ruling held that teachers cannot compel students to pray in public schools. Still, the practice of prayer before classes persists in some institutions, particularly in the southern states. A Pew Research Center survey found that a portion of respondents reported teachers leading prayers or reading Bible passages in some cases.
The course of the history of the XX century – in technical universities
Medinsky proposed introducing a concise course in all technical universities and schools of Russia that would replace the existing lecture titled “The history of everything from Adam” with a focused study of the 20th century, from the revolution to the present. He suggested a streamlined, year-long course that would bypass Europe to concentrate on recent history. He urged stopping the old approach and adopting a straightforward curriculum on 20th century history. He noted discussions with Science and Higher Education Minister Valery Falkov and argued it is better to know the latest events than to ignore them.
Olga Vasilyeva, head of the Russian Academy of Education, approved the idea of providing a separate course on Russian history at technical universities but did not agree that it should be limited to the 20th century alone. She argued that history of the Fatherland should be taught across all technical universities, rather than isolating a single century, as she stated during the commission meeting.
in the textbook
Medinsky also called for mobilizing all resources in history education, arguing that society lives within a history textbook and that the language of the next chapter will be determined by those who teach and publish it. He warned that continuing with the current approach could lead to a future where the next chapter might not be in Russian and urged everyone involved to adapt, including teachers, cultural workers, museum staff, filmmakers, and editors, in a renewed effort to shape the narrative.
movies instead of serials
The former culture minister suggested reducing the amount of entertainment programming on television and replacing it with high-quality Russian and Soviet cinema. He claimed that a more national cinema landscape would be appreciated by the public and urged colleagues to consider cutting back on certain foreign copyright-heavy productions. He argued that audiences would respond with gratitude for a stronger domestic cinematic presence.
Reflecting on his time as culture minister from 2012 to 2020, Medinsky admitted regret for not fully ideologizing historical cinema and acknowledged facing criticism for taking ideological stances. He later remarked that those who use state funds to produce films that misrepresent Russian history, including the celebration of Victory Day, risk being viewed as untrustworthy by the public.