The Phryges will decorate the windows of the primary school of Monchy-Saint-Eloi, in the Oise.
"With pompoms, like Santa's hat," says Nicolas Muller, the director.
We no longer make Christmas trees with the biggest ones, so the mascots will be our Christmas decorations.
The professor admits to having been "a little skeptical" when he discovered the Phrygian caps wearing sneakers.
“With the students, we predicted a rooster or an Eiffel Tower.
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Nicolas Muller finally let himself be convinced by these mascots which have become educational tools.
On Friday, he used the materials offered by Paris 2024 to address the values of the Republic with his CM1 - CM2 class.
“When we imagined the mascot, even before knowing what it would be, we wanted it to be able to carry and embody messages, especially with children, explains Julie Matikhine, brand director.
The idea of the Phrygian cap seemed to us to be the right one.
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In parallel with the development of the Phryges, the management of the Paris 2024 brand worked with that of the heritage, in particular in order to develop educational materials.
Depending on the cycles, kits labeled "Generation 2024", created with National Education, allow you to work around the tricolor flag, Marianne or the notions of "Liberty, equality, fraternity".
Talking about the values of the Republic differently
The Phryge tribe appears alongside the portrait of Louis XVI or Eugène Delacroix's painting “Liberty Leading the People.
» Writing rallies, quizzes, memory games with the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines or DIY sets, allowing you to make puppets in particular, are also offered.
“The mascot is aimed at children, it was necessary to combine its launch with an educational tool, explains Marie Barsacq, director of heritage at the Organizing Committee.
We wanted to help teachers talk about the values of the Republic, which are included in the program, a little differently.
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Read alsoOlympic Games: from “Waldi” to “Miraitowa”, the history of mascots since 1972 before that of Paris 2024
Schools, everywhere in France, are invited to take up the subject.
“Since the launch of the Organizing Committee, we have offered various educational materials in different subjects on the Génération 2024 site, recalls Marie Barsacq.
We wanted to interest children in lessons through sport, by bringing a playful touch.
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The mascots have not finished being talked about at school.
In a few weeks, they will start a tour and will go to schools, labeled Generation 2024. The city of Paris should also provide each school in the capital with a huge cardboard mascot, again so that young Parisians can familiarize themselves with the little Phrygian cap.
And at the start of the next school year, the mascot could end up on schoolbags, pencil cases and pencils.
