Kyrgyzstan greets dignitaries with snow leopard plush toys instead of flowers

🤔 Have you noticed the unconventional diplomatic gesture?

Usually, flowers are presented when welcoming a high-ranking guest at the airplane stairs. But in Kyrgyzstan, delegation leaders are given a soft toy snow leopard.

🇰🇬 By a decree of the Cabinet of Ministers, the snow leopard has been appointed the national symbol of Kyrgyzstan.

ℹ️ Since ancient times, the snow leopard has been revered by the Kyrgyz people as a sacred animal. The rare beauty and elusive nature of the predator symbolize the country's pristine nature and ecological purity.