Warwick's 50th anniversary
2015 is the University of Warwick’s 50th anniversary and French Studies was one of the founding departments. To celebrate we are asking local schools to work with us to produce a timeline of events in France and the francophone world between 1965 and 2015.
The task
- First of all you need to choose a date, or an event to focus on. We have included some suggestions below, but we'd also be really pleased if you found other events to research.
- Secondly, you need to think about how you will present your chosen topic. We would like to put your presentations on our 50th Anniversary web page, so the more visually-appealing it is, the better. Here are some suggestions:
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- find an image (or more than 1) and write a c. 200-word text (in English or in French) to explain what the event was, when it took place, why it was significant and why it might be important for future generations to remember it. Present your material in an engaging way, perhaps as a poster, a powerpoint presentation, a prezi presentation...The choice is yours!
- Create your own art work on the event / topic: pictures, paintings, collages and so forth...
- Re-enact the event by creating a mini-drama and create a film of the performance.
- Create a stop-motion animation of the event
Feel free to collaborate across year groups. For those schools who are local, we are happy to send out some of our undergraduates to help with the project work – just let us know as soon as possible.
What kind of event should I choose?
The event might be political, or it might cultural (the publication of a book or release of a film or the creation of a painting or song), or it might be a sporting moment.
Some ideas for primary schools (or those who are young at heart!)
- France and Belgium's love affair with the strip cartoon or bande dessinée. See for more ideas about favourites that have become household names here as well as in France and Belgium, such as Astérix, Tintin and so on.
- Transport and travel: the TGV; Concorde; Channel Tunnel (see below for dates)
- Food and drink: research the development of the classic French cafeteria chain Flunch (1971) and find out more about fast food à la française: http://www.flunch.fr/. Imagine eating in the restaurant at the top of the Tour Montparnasse (see below): http://www.cieldeparis.com/
- Tourism: a trip to Eurodisney (http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk/) or Parc Astérix (http://www.parcasterix.fr/en)
- Art and culture: go inside the Pyramide du Louvre and see what art you can find!
Showcasing your work
If you are local, we’d like you to present your findings at a special event at the University of Warwick on Weds 8th July 10am-1pm (we will provide lunch!).
We will be photographing or filming your work to create a digital archive for future generations.
If you are not local, we will add your work to our 50th Anniversary timeline.
Suggested landmark events
Politics
Mai 68
Legal right for women to work without the permission of their husbands 1965
Equal pay provision for women 1972
Mitterrand elected 1981
The Rainbow Warrior 1985
Edith Cresson becomes France's first woman prime minister 1991
Art and culture
Death of Jacques Prévert 1977
Berri's film Jean de Florette 1986
Jeunet's film Amélie 2001
Death of Simone de Beauvoir 1986
TF1 privatised 1987
Death of Serge Gainsbourg 1991
Sport/leisure
First televised football match in France 1965
First open tennis tournament Roland Garros 1968
Opening of Parc Astérix theme park 1989
Opening of Eurodisney 1991
France win the World Cup 2006
History
Médecins sans frontières founded 1971
SOS racisme formed 1984
Opening of Lascaux pre-historic cave paintings to public 1983
Opening of Channel tunnel 1994
Mai 68
Technology
France proposes the Ariane European Space project 1973, with first flight in 1979
Concorde 1976
Invention of minitel 1982
Architecture and buildings
Construction of the Tour Montparnasse 1969 - 73
Opening of the Pompidou centre 1977
Opening of the Pyramide du Louvre 1989
Opening of Lascaux pre-historic cave paintings to public 1983