The 40th Anniversary of Panda Basi’s Arrival in Fujian and International Conference on Basi Culture kicked off in Fuzhou on December 5, attracting about 200 guests from both China and abroad, including over 90 foreign representatives from more than 30 countries.
With the theme of “Peace and Friendship, Charity for All,” the conference tells the legendary story of the giant panda Basi to the world to promote the Basi culture of peace and the concept of global sharing.
At the event, the Basi Public Welfare Alliance and Basi Public Welfare Action were officially launched. It is reported that through the introduction and training of public welfare talents and social innovation incubation, the alliance aims to further promote the green, public welfare, peace, and sharing concepts of Basi culture, focusing on the creation of a widely recognized and globally influential identity of Basi peace and public welfare culture.
The legendary giant panda Basi was born in Basi Gorge, Baoxing County, Sichuan Province, in 1980, and passed away in Fuzhou in 2017 at the age of 37, which equals over 100 years in human age. Known as the “Beauty Panda,” she was the prototype for Pan Pan, the mascot for the Beijing Asian Games.
Cheng Guoping, Vice President of the China Association for International Friendly Contact, stated that the giant panda Basi is a celebrity panda carrying many Chinese stories. She embodies a culture of peace, friendship, and harmony, representing mutual respect, understanding, and tolerance. It is believed that Basi can serve as a medium for forging people-to-people bonds and harmonizing public sentiments, helping the world understand Chinese wisdom and listen to Chinese stories. “We wish to use Basi culture as a medium to strengthen friendly exchanges and cooperation with countries around the world, contributing Chinese strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind.”
“Pandas, as China’s national treasure, are beloved by people all over the world for their endearing appearance and are also envoys of peace and friendship,” said Ahmed Mustafa Fahmy Hafez, head of the League of Arab States’ China Representative Office. Since Basi arrived in Fujian 40 years ago, its significance on the international cultural exchange stage has continuously expanded, symbolizing the friendship between China and other countries. Since China proposed the ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative, new opportunities have emerged for China and Arab countries, and the League of Arab States will continue to promote cooperation between China and Arab nations.
William N. Brown, an American professor at Xiamen University and Honorary President of the Fujian International Talents Exchange Association, believes that in a time when the world still lacks understanding of China, telling Chinese stories well can leverage “panda power.” The credible, likable, and respectable image of Basi and her unique charm have won the respect of many Chinese and foreigners. Many people have developed an interest in Chinese culture because of their fondness for pandas. Efforts should be made to utilize the panda Basi culture to tell Chinese stories well and help the world better understand China.
