Head of the Republic: Bashkir language should not be forced to learn

UFA, 28 June 2019. /Bashinform News Agency, Gulfiya Akulova/ translated by Tatiana Aksyutina/.

“We, the Bashkirs, are obliged to preserve our language, but we should stop forcing to study it”, said the Acting Head of the region, Radiy Khabirov, during the 5th World Bashkir Kurultay.

“The Bashkir language needs to be protected, and above all from indifference, political maneuvering, short-sightedness, inability to work,” stressed the head of Bashkortostan. “Today, many children and adults are ready to master the Bashkir language with pleasure. We discussed how to help them with this at the First All-Russian Congress of Teachers of the Bashkir Language and Literature. It is necessary to make the Bashkir language highly demanded, fashionable. Very soon, the old, boring teaching methods will be replaced by interactive forms, electronic textbooks, and communication technologies. The system of teacher training will also differ from the old-school one. We are conducting systematic work in these areas. We have established the Bashkir Language Foundation, present grants of the Head of the Republic, conduct a dictation in the Bashkir language. We will actively support Bashkir literature, theater, cinema, media, open courses for those who want to learn the language. It is we who bear the main responsibility for the preservation of the native language and culture. No one else will do it for us!”

Radiy Khabirov drew attention to the fact that anyone who lives in Bashkortostan, values ​​the republic and works for its benefit, has the right to consider himself a Bashkir.