Hafiz Pashayev: Everyone should do their work with dignity, with the passion shown by martyrs

The prominent Azerbaijani diplomat, the rector of ADA University, Professor Hafiz Pashayev was a guest in the “Time of Mir Shahin” program authored by the head of Real TV, Mirshahin Aghayev, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting Qafqazinfo.az.

The conversation touched upon the history of the Kazakh Teachers’ Seminary and the place the seminary had in the socio-political space of Azerbaijan. According to the host, by sincerely answering each and every question, Hafiz Pashayev delivered a valuable lecture for the viewers.

Talking about the Qazakh Center established at ADA University, Hafiz Pashayev noted that the decision about it was made on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Republic in 2018.

“We thought that we should inform young people about that period and, if possible, make some publications. Unfortunately, we did not have much information about that period. We wanted to open this history in a new style. After reading Shamistan Nazarli’s book “The Train from Gori”, I saw that great thinkers like Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Nariman Narimanov, and Muslim Magomayev studied at the Gori Seminary. When I read these names, I was ashamed that even though we had heard about these thinkers, I did not know where they studied. I had the advantage of Mir Jalal would talk to us at home. In particular, I had information about literary figures. Mir Jalal had a doctoral thesis on literary schools and was the first to collect information about the people who wrote and created at that time.”

“We have set before us the mission of education, but in a new style, at a new level. If the goal of the Qazakh Seminary was to train primary school teachers, our goal is to increase the level and quality of district teachers. We have experts in the field of educational management and educational methodology. Reassuring them, we told them to prepare a program that improves the quality of district teachers. You know, I like the word manifesto, so we named the program “Manifesto of a Teacher”. We sent 40 people selected from 500 people to America. They have developed there,” said the professor.

Hafiz Pashayev emphasized that the transition of “Azerbaijan” newspaper from the Arabic alphabet to the Latin script is one of the biggest things: “I wish we could read this newspaper when we were students. I would not have imagined that at that time, an Azerbaijani lady announced in the newspaper that was a dentist on Holgins Street, and she would take care of your teeth. This shows how much we have developed at that time.”

“Each of us will work in such a way as to contribute to the common cause. Education is the basis of every job. Not everyone can be a soldier and go directly to fight. Of course, he will fight if necessary. Everyone should be effective in their work, and do their work with dignity, with the passion shown by martyrs while performing their duties. We are at the most important stage in the history of Azerbaijan’s development,” the professor concluded.