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Two dozen eager semifinalists from North America have gathered in Washington to compete for positions as panda ambassadors, or Pambassadors. They are scheduled to participate in a series of challenges in which their panda knowledge, physical strength, communication skills and team-work abilities is being tested.
On Wednesday afternoon, many "pandas" appeared on the national mall in downtown Washington. They walked two or three abreast in the park and soon caught people’s attention.
Every "panda" was accompanied by a competitor in the North American semifinal of the Chengdu Pambassadors 2012. As a part of the semifinal, competitors had to give out as many of the panda stickers as they could within the given time and ask passer-bys to take photos with the "panda". The more the competitor finished, the higher the score they got.
Participants dressed as giant pandas pose for pictures during the North America semifinal of the Chengdu Pambassador 2012, a global initiative to recruit three giant panda conservation ambassadors, in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Oct.
16, 2012. The global initiative is aimed to raise the awareness about the protection
of the giant panda, a high endangered species, and their habitats.(Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
Li Fujun, Judge & Researcher of Chengdu Res. Base of Giant Panda Breeding, said, "This session is to inspect their ability to interact with passer-bys. Competitors introduce knowledge about pandas and Pambassadors. Obviously, they all have a good ability of observation. When a child approaches the ’panda’, they immediately ask to take photos so as to finish the mission quickly."
Tourists and passer-bys have all become the targets of the competitors and their "pandas". Football players and their spectators on the national mall were soon plastered with panda stickers. In order to show their "panda" charm, they played football with the coach.
Participants dressed as giant pandas pose for pictures during the North America
semifinal of the Chengdu Pambassador 2012, a global initiative to recruit three
giant panda conservation ambassadors, in Washington D.C., capital of the United
States, Oct. 16, 2012. The global initiative is aimed to raise the awareness
about the protection of the giant panda, a high endangered species, and their
habitats.(Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
American Jenna said, "You can see from their panda costumes, they are really using all kinds of creative efforts to try to make people more aware about pandas."
The Pambassador’s duty is to develop global awareness about the giant panda and wild animal protection. The three winners will serve as Chengdu Pambassadors for one year and participate in a Global Panda Conservation Tour in 2013.
A participant dressed as giant panda poses for pictures during the North America
semifinal of the Chengdu Pambassador 2012, a global initiative to recruit three
giant panda conservation ambassadors, in Washington D.C., capital of the United
States, Oct. 16, 2012. The global initiative is aimed to raise the awareness
about the protection of the giant panda, a high endangered species, and their
habitats.(Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
A participant dressed as giant panda greets the 2010 "Pambassador" Ashlie
Robertson (R) during the North America semifinal of the Chengdu Pambassador
2012, a global initiative to recruit three giant panda conservation ambassadors,
in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Oct. 16, 2012. The global
initiative is aimed to raise the awareness about the protection of the giant
panda, a high endangered species, and their habitats.(Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
中国公共新闻摘编：GAN JADE |
