FRBV26 CC CONVICTION- Creating a committed gesture

The sequence began with the viewing of a video from the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, highlighting the moment when Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their black‑gloved fists on the podium. This emblematic gesture, now considered one of the most significant political acts in the history of sport, introduced a broader reflection on the role of symbolic protest in political and social movements.
A short debate on the relationship between sports and politics followed, enabling students to articulate and confront different viewpoints on the legitimacy and impact of political expression in athletic contexts.
Students were then invited to research other notable protest gestures or committed actions in the history of sport. After a brief class discussion, each pair produced a PowerPoint presentation outlining their selected example and presented their findings to the group.
In the next phase, the class agreed on a common theme—equality between men and women—and each student devised a symbolic gesture illustrating this topic.
The activity concluded with a collective performance in a dedicated room, during which students presented their gestures, thereby synthesizing their reflections on protest, symbolism, and gender equality.

This activity enabled students to deepen their understanding of how symbolic gestures can influence political and social debates, starting with the example of Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics. Through research, discussion, and group presentations, they developed their analytical, collaborative, and oral‑communication skills. By creating and performing their own gesture on the theme of equality between men and women, they also engaged in a creative reflection on civic values and the power of collective expression.