As part of the 2021 Olympic and Paralympic Week, held annually in France, the Olympic and Sports Departmental Committee of Alpes-Maritimes (CDOS 06) intervened this Thursday at Jean Piaget Elementary School in Ariane to promote physical and sports activities among students, to raise their awareness of Olympic and Paralympic values, alongside former world champion Stéphane Diagana.
One, two, one, two… In the playground of Jean Piaget School, Stéphane Diagana, former world champion runner, the first French athlete to win a world title in athletics (400m hurdles, 1997), warms up with the children from the CM1 and CM2 classes to emphasize the importance of exercise and the goals that sport can help us achieve. This is the purpose of this educational visit organized by the Olympic and Sports Departmental Committee of Alpes-Maritimes.
The Olympic Footage Film
Supervised by the CDOS 06 team, including its president Philippe Manassero, the students attended a screening of the film personally produced by the committee, “Olympic Footage”. A production that shows the Olympic values of “excellence, respect, and friendship.”
During this cinema moment, the children, interested, astonished, and attentive, discover the world of the Olympic Games, one of the largest sporting events bringing together billions of people worldwide. The session ends with a discussion with the CDOS 06 president about the evolution of the Olympics and sports in general.
Using sport as an educational tool, changing perceptions of disability, and promoting civic engagement through sports is part of the missions of the CDOS 06 through its “Sport, Education, Citizenship” division. It finds its full interest in sharing the love of sports with schoolchildren during this Olympic and Paralympic week.
Stéphane Diagana and His Sports Experience
The departmental committee brought a wonderful surprise for the students. It was none other than the presence and intervention of Stéphane Diagana, the first French world champion in athletics (400m hurdles, 1992), who shared his top-level sports experience as well as his commitment to health sports with the CNOSF and Paris 2024. The rector of the Academy, Richard Laganier, also present for the occasion, and the Alpes-Maritimes deputy, Cédric Roussel, who attended, were able to exchange a few words with the champion.
“Sport has no value in itself, but it is a superb tool for working on values such as surpassing oneself, teamwork, respect, etc. For children, it helps them develop self-confidence. Many athletes have stated that sport helped them overcome shyness and become comfortable with their bodies. This Olympic week is also an opportunity to show Olympic values and remind us of the importance of movement for well-being and health,” explains the French athlete, who supports young people with future projects of pursuing a professional sporting career.
The visit ends with a medal ceremony for the children for their participation in the program’s activities and a signing session with Stéphane Diagana. The elementary school students are delighted and will remember this Olympic day where they learned a lot about sports and the Olympic Games.
