BELÉM, Brazil — The fire at the climate summit Thursday not only disrupted global negotiations over rising temperatures, it also halted kitsch collectors.
The blaze closed an area of the COP30 venue that hosted pavilions set up by nations from around the world, featuring cultural displays and climate-focused events. For some countries it was a space to spread soft power — sometimes through trinkets.
China’s pavilion was a popular attraction. A line on Wednesday snaked past the area featuring two Chinese flags and a sprawling image of cloud-shrouded mountains as visitors waited for souvenirs that included panda headbands and tiny panda plushies.
“The pandas are the fever here,” said Ana Lobato, a volunteer from Belém who said she has been collecting pins from various pavilions.
