‘Hate, Hate, Hate the Enemy’ – What is Being Taught in Azerbaijan

“Service to the homeland, loyalty to the people, hate, hate, hate the enemy,” is one of the slogans taught to children in some schools. The forced patriotic 'activities' imposed on Azerbaijani children showcase that despite the cessation of military operations, reconciliation between neighboring peoples remains distant, as reported by BBC.

“After the war, the main thing I thought about was that I should hide my face from the children's eyes,” says Fikret, a school teacher from Azerbaijan (name changed). For many years, he taught history to children while attempting to avoid sensitive topics; he refrained from quoting particularly aggressive sections from textbooks and encouraged his students to find alternative sources of information.

In a report from one television channel, children shout, “Service to the homeland, loyalty to the people, hate, hate, hate the enemy.”

“These children are tomorrow’s soldiers, doctors, teachers, they are our children who will defend our country on the front lines,” comments the television channel’s journalist.

The conflict around Nagorno-Karabakh, which both Armenians and Azerbaijanis have referred to as existential at various times, has claimed thousands of lives from both sides.

“The main change in school after the war has been the events. While previously students depicted children who had been killed by Armenians in Karabakh, now they draw brave soldiers and 'Bayraktars' – Turkish drones that played a crucial role in the war,” Fikret says, adding that he “despairs” when he sees this.

Literature teacher Eghyana Samadova from the Sumgayit seminary states that “certain texts related to the promotion of patriotism” are included in the mandatory curriculum, while other activities are selected by the children, such as organizing film screenings followed by discussions. Samadova mentions that in the materials on “fostering patriotism,” it is not specified who the enemy is, adding that “hatred is being instilled in students not towards the enemy but towards the cruelty of the enemy.”

It should be noted that a correspondent from Azerbaijani Ictimai TV conducted surveys on the streets of Baku regarding citizens’ opinions on who they consider Azerbaijan's enemies and friends. Thus, the top enemies cited are Armenia, Iran, Russia, and France, while top friends include Turkey, Israel, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom.

Fikret expresses his fear of a new war, especially since Russia, Armenia's military ally, is currently engaged in military operations in Ukraine and cannot afford to get involved in someone else's conflict. “The Armenians also had a victor's complex, saying: 'the job is done, Azerbaijan should get no inch of land, no compromise. After 26 years, there was a defeat. We don’t know what will happen 20 years from now, therefore, we and these children need peace,” he concluded.