The Associated Press reported that a large-scale festival, PANDA GO! FEST HK, has kicked off in Hong Kong. As part of this event, a total of 2,500 sculptures depicting giant pandas will appear in various parts of the city.
The opening ceremony of the festival took place at Hong Kong International Airport. The figures were displayed right on the runway. The sculptures are made of recycled rubber barrels. Artists have hand-polished and painted them, making each panda a unique work of art.
The traveling exhibition will change locations every week and will last until the end of the year. Pandas will appear on the Avenue of Stars, near the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, at Ocean Park, and in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park.
This year, pandas In-In and Le-le, gifted to Ocean Park by Beijing, produced long-awaited offspring. They gave birth to twins. In addition, two more bamboo bears, also gifted to the institution this year, live in the park. All six animals became the prototypes for the six sculptures presented at the exhibition.
The organizers of the event expect that the appearance of pandas in iconic places of the city will attract the attention of tourists and local residents. Artists sought to integrate the figures into the everyday life of Hong Kong. The event also has an educational function, as it will help raise awareness of efforts to conserve pandas.
The report notes that in recent years, the panda population in the world has exceeded 2,000 individuals. This rare animal is found in the wild only in the bamboo forests of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. The panda is a symbol of China and is often used as a tool of diplomacy.
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