Mayors warm to ice-and-snow economy

Mayors and senior city officials from across Europe, Asia, and North America jointly launched the Harbin Initiative of the Global Mayors Dialogue in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on Wednesday, highlighting opportunities in ice and snow and promoting urban development.

They called for establishing an ecological civilization focused on sustainable ice-and-snow development, advancing innovation — and technology-driven growth in such industries, creating a framework for cities to engage in mutual exchanges and learning, and fostering the modernization of urban governance and inclusive development.

The Global Mayors Dialogue ?Harbin opened on Tuesday at the Harbin Ice and Snow World, bringing together mayors, deputy mayors, and mayoral representatives from cities including Harbin, Magdeburg in Germany, Rovaniemi in Finland, Bucheon in the Republic of Korea, Edmonton in Canada, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Erzurum in Turkiye, and Chalandri in Greece.

Participants exchanged policy experiences and practical approaches to developing ice — and snow-based industries, an area of increasing economic significance for cold-region cities worldwide.

The event is guided by the State Council Information Office and jointly hosted by the information office of the Heilongjiang provincial people's government and the Harbin people's government.

Under the theme "Connecting the World with Ice and Snow, Win-Win Cooperation for a Shared Future", the event aims to showcase China's experiences and practices in ice-and-snow industry development through visits and thematic dialogues, using Harbin, the "Ice City", as a window to the world.

Chinese and foreign guests shared their cities' practical experiences and common expectations in the development of the ice and snow industry and urban governance.

Harbin Mayor Wang Hesheng, said the city is acclaimed as the birthplace of modern ice-and-snow sports in China and an international destination for ice-and-snow tourism.

"The 27th Harbin Ice and Snow World is currently the largest ice-and-snow-themed park in the world," he said. "We also have the Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo, which showcases the world's top snow sculpture art, and the outdoor ice park for citizens and tourists to enjoy leisure and entertainment — the Harbin ice and snow carnival."

"The ice-and-snow culture and economy are becoming a new driving force for the high-quality development of Harbin and a new link for its opening-up to the outside world," he added.

Other representatives shared how their cities have transformed cold-climate resources into economic opportunities.

Andrew Knack, mayor of Edmonton, said the city embraces winter by turning ice and snow into community connectors, cultural heritage, and economic drivers through festivals and sporting events.

"In many places, people often feel that winter is something to endure," he said. "But in cities like Harbin and Edmonton, and many other winter cities, we are growing and thriving together."

Heikki Kontiosalo, second chairman of the Rovaniemi city council, said the city, known as the hometown of Santa Claus, has turned its long snow season into opportunities for tourism and public skiing by focusing on visitor experience and improving ski trails and facilities.

Zafer Aynali, vice-mayor of Erzurum, said the municipal government has brought the ski center management under municipal control, leveraging its location five minutes from the city and 15 minutes from the airport.

Thorsten Kroll, vice-mayor of Magdeburg, said that although the city has little snow and relatively high temperatures, it hopes to learn from and cooperate with Harbin in tourism and other sectors such as pharmaceuticals, technology, and construction.

After the opening ceremony on Tuesday, representatives participated in a uniquely immersive experience in the specially designated ice sculpture experience zone at the Harbin Ice and Snow World. Using professional ice-carving shovels, they carved the event's logo onto an ice block, experiencing Harbin's ice-and-snow culture firsthand.

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn