People visit a panda-themed interactive zone at the 32nd Doha International Book Fair in Doha, Qatar, June 12, 2023. (Photo by Wang Qiang/Xinhua)
DOHA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Receiving huge welcome everywhere they show up, giant pandas have long served as goodwill ambassadors from China.
Now, these adorable bundles of fluff have taken on a new role as "awareness ambassadors" at the ongoing 32nd Doha International Book Fair in Qatar, promoting messages such as hygiene, sustainability, agriculture, and the environment to the public, especially children.
At the book fair, a panda-themed pavilion set up by the Ministry of Municipality was attracting visitors with paintings featuring the famed panda duo, Si Hai and Jing Jing, who arrived in Qatar last October under the first giant panda cooperation program between China and the Middle East.
The giant panda Si Hai is seen at the Panda House at Al Khor Park in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 17, 2022. The two giant pandas, three-year-old female Si Hai and four-year-old male Jing Jing, made their first public appearance on Thursday (Nov. 17, 2022) ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. (Photo by Nikku/Xinhua)
The panda duo met the public for the first time three days before the opening of the Qatar World Cup as a token of goodwill, carrying wishes to the sports event from China.
The lovely creatures soon went viral for predicting Argentina's victory over France in the final, winning the hearts of football fans around the world.
"We brought Si Hai and Jing Jing symbolically to the book fair through the design of our pavilion, and we dedicated half of our pavilion to children so that we could convey awareness messages in an engaging and seamless manner," said Fayqa Ashkanani, the head of public relations at the Ministry of Municipality.
A panda-themed interactive zone was established in the ministry's pavilion to host daily competitions, including drawing, coloring, and entertainment activities primarily designed for families with children. The winners will be awarded a visit to the Panda House, where Si Hai and Jing Jing reside, and the panda-themed toys, Ashkanani introduced.
People visit a panda-themed interactive zone at the 32nd Doha International Book Fair in Doha, Qatar, June 12, 2023. (Photo by Wang Qiang/Xinhua)
A parent who brought his three-year-old child to the fair expressed his surprise at the establishment of the zone at the compound.
"I didn't expect the book fair to have such an area. It's perfect for young children. We are planning to visit the Panda House to see the giant pandas personally this weekend," said the father who identified himself as Saeed.
According to Ashkanani, it is not the first time for the panda duo to serve such a role. She said they earlier engaged in activities to promote environmental awareness in the public on Earth Day in April and World Environment Day in June respectively.
The Panda House at Al Khor Park, 35 km from the capital Doha, has been included as a key tourist attraction by the country's tourism authority.
