Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian poses for photos with a prize winner during the Panda Competition at the Chinese Embassy in Australia, in Canberra, Australia on Nov. 6, 2024. Australian children in Canberra were awarded on Wednesday for their paintings, sculptures, poems, creative collage and constructions surrounding the subject of "the Chinese and the Australian gold rushes." The Panda Competition, which is its 30th edition this year, is to encourage Australian school students to increase their knowledge of the Chinese culture and history, said Carol Keil, president of the Australia China Friendship Society, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Branch, the event's organizer. (Photo by Chu Chen/Xinhua)

Australian children in Canberra were awarded on Wednesday for their paintings, sculptures, poems, creative collage and constructions surrounding the subject of "the Chinese and the Australian gold rushes."

The Panda Competition, which is its 30th edition this year, is to encourage Australian school students to increase their knowledge of the Chinese culture and history, said Carol Keil, president of the Australia China Friendship Society, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Branch, the event's organizer.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian told the awarding ceremony that he highly appreciated Australian children's interest in Chinese culture, history and art, as the future depends on the future generations and children are the future of the bilateral friendship.

"Through culture, we understand and appreciate each other," Xiao said, adding China and Australia are two different countries, but there is much more shared in common.

Starting in 1995, the Panda Competition was named after its first-year activity under the theme of giant panda. Each year the competition chooses a different theme related to China, mostly of traditional Chinese culture, for the ACT primary and secondary school students to participate.

Initially the competition was only drawings and paintings but as time went on, the organizer started receiving more and more models such as sculptures and three-dimensional construction, Keil said.

"We were most impressed with the research that had gone into many of the entries with detailed explanations of the activity in the drawings or models," she added.

Wednesday's awarding ceremony was followed by a fan dance and Chinese Guzheng performance by Australian students. 

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