President reiterates importance of history to preserve national values

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc meets members of the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences in Hà Nội on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo 

HÀ NỘI — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said it is necessary to change the methods history is taught at schools and in the community to help each citizen clearly understand their origins, national traditions, and historical values at a meeting with the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences in Hà Nội on Friday.

He stressed that understanding national history is deeply important to the course of construction and protection.

He asked ministries and agencies to discuss and find the best solutions to deal with current debates relating to history teaching, paying attention to the role and position of the subject.

The President said the State should have different support methods to ensure the efficiency and encourage the research, teaching, and learning of history. 

He noted that the young generations have not been interested in learning history because there is a lack of effective and attractive teaching methods and good historical stories and movies. He proposed the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences continue making specific recommendations to State agencies to deal with the issue. 

In the future, the association needed to focus on researching not only Vietnamese history but also regional and global history and set a vision to become a prestigious historical research centre of the region and the world, building strong research groups with research projects on a national and regional scale. 

He also asked the association to enhance international cooperation and exchanges, honouring historical scientists who made great contributions and have more prizes in history to encourage the study, teaching, and learning of history at schools and in society. 

On this occasion, the President praised experts, scientists, and historians who have made great contributions to the development of the historical sector and the national construction and protection.

The association has made many valuable historical scientific contributions, helping the development of the country’s history, the President said, adding that its prestige was set up and keeps improving.

Many Vietnamese historians were highly appreciated and honoured by the international community. The Party and State have granted the association many awards in recognition of their achievements and contributions. 

The Party and State attach great importance to the national history in association with preserving historical heritages and projects, including historical research and education, President Phúc said. 

He proposed the association continue to make more contributions to the construction of national policies, guidelines, and ideology. — VNS