Controversy Over “Burning Flag” on Armenian Textbook Cover Prompts Recall

DECEMBER 13, 2024 — Education authorities in Armenia have instructed school directors to collect third-grade Armenian language textbooks that sparked controversy over an image resembling a burning national flag, times.am reports. Plans are underway to distribute adhesive stickers to cover the contentious illustration on the back cover.

The controversy erupted during the summer when social media users circulated images of the textbook Mother Tongue 3’s back cover, alleging that it depicted the Armenian flag in flames, according to panorama.am.

The incident led to widespread outrage, with accusations directed at the textbook’s authors and offensive remarks being made online. In response, the authors clarified that the final design was not their work and attributed the issue to a printing error.

Armen Martirosyan, director of Antares Publishing House, which printed the textbook, denied intentional wrongdoing, reported armtimes. He described the image as a design misinterpretation, suggesting that the supposed burning effect could also be seen as radiating light and warmth. Martirosyan dismissed claims of deliberate subversion, insisting that the controversy stemmed from subjective interpretations rather than factual design choices.

Martirosyan further explained that the publishing house followed the submitted files without modification. He stated that individuals who saw a burning flag were projecting their perceptions onto the image. A video demonstrating the printing process was also released to support the claim that no tampering occurred during production.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport noted that official electronic versions of the textbooks, available online, do not feature the disputed image. Despite these clarifications, authorities decided to amend the physical copies to address public concern, particularly with upcoming elections potentially heightening sensitivities around national symbols.

Image: armtimes