CHENGDU, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The inaugural Golden Panda Awards, an international cultural initiative honoring achievements in the fields of film, TV, documentary and animation, were announced on Wednesday. "Jojo Rabbit" won the Best Film award, and the first season of "1923" took home the Best TV Drama award. Hosted by southwest China's Sichuan Province, home of the giant panda, the Golden Panda Awards will take place every two years. The award show received a total of 7,024 film and television works as submissions, with 4,927 international submissions. Among the 90 nominated works, 53 were overseas entries. This inaugural edition provided participants from around the world with the opportunity to cultivate a deeper sense of cultural unity and foster cultural exchanges. "All works transcend borders, race and culture," said Zhang Yimou, a renowned Chinese director and chairman of the inaugural Golden Panda Awards jury. "Good works serve as a bridge that connects people from all around the world who appreciate art and beauty, as well as inspiring and thought-provoking creations." At the first Golden Panda International Culture Forum, held on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Golden Panda Awards, more than 300 Chinese and foreign participants engaged in in-depth exchanges on implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, deepening cultural exchange, and jointly building a community with a shared future for humanity. Speaking of new challenges in the 21st century, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Erik Solheim said there should be more cooperation, not less, and the world needs to work with China more than ever. Nabil Fahmy, former foreign minister of Egypt, said art is a key medium through which people of different countries can understand each other's culture and civilization. The panda has been a fitting cultural symbol of the Golden Panda Awards. Earlier this week, members of the jury and participants of the award show visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. During the tour, they observed the pandas at play and attended informative presentations about their habits and lifestyles. It was the first time for many of the visitors to watch giant pandas up close. "Giant pandas are cute and friendly," said Chinese actor Cheng Taishen, who was nominated for the Best Actor award. He expressed his hope that the awards will represent the standard of Chinese film and television and will be loved by friends from all over the world. Renowned American special effects artist, Douglas Smith, said that the reason why giant pandas are so attractive is largely because they present a comfortable and desirable way of life. "We bring our daughter to China every summer to let her learn about Chinese culture. My love for giant pandas is beyond words," he added. 

（Editor:Liao Yifan）