Third Mayors Conference
Host City
Edmonton, Canada (Mayor: Laurence Decore)
Period
February 13-15, 1988
Participants
Member cities: 17 cities from 12 countries
Innsbruck (Austria), Edmonton, Hull (Canada), Changchun, Harbin, Shenyang (China), Helsinki (Finland), Albertville (France), Munich (Germany), Takikawa, Sapporo (Japan), Oslo, Tromso (Norway), Stockholm (Sweden), Leningrad (U.S.S.R.), Sarajevo (Yugoslavia)
Observers: 3 cities from 3 countries
Hamilton (Canada), Nayaro (Japan), Leeds (U.K.)
Main Theme
Business of Winter
Themes and reporters
1. Economic development in winter cities …… Potentials of winter cities
Edmonton’s economic development …… Edmonton
Creating industries based upon the northern climate …… Sapporo
Skywalks to economic development …… Minneapolis
Winter tourism and the 1992 Winter Olympics …… Albertville
Economic development in Sarajevo …… Sarajevo
2. Urban environment in winter cities
The use of recycled materials in building construction and the impact upon the city environment ……Changchun
Innsbruck’s experience as host city for two Olympic Games …… Innsbruck
Development of facilities for solving urban problems …… Leningrad
Road maintenance and environmental protection …… Munich
A modern capital with old-world charm …… Stockholm
Solution to winter urban problems (heating, transportation, and recreation) …… Helsinki
Various ways of enjoying winter ……Oslo
The winter city responsibility …… Hull
A rational development of the water resources of Shenyang …… Shenyang
How to live with winter in a region at 70°N …… Tromsø
The environment protecting in winter …… Harbin
Aiming at a comfortable life in winter …… Takikawa
Events held in conjunction with the Conference
1. ’88 Winter Cities Showcase
(1) Winter Cities Forum ’88
Participants: About 800 people from 45 cities in 16 countries
(2) Winter Expo ’88
107 corporations from 5 countries
(3) Winter Cities Award Competition
Winter Fashion Show
2. Winter Fashion Show
3. Japan Week (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, etc.)
4. The Northern Intercity Conference and the ’88 Winter Cities Showcase became important supporting events for the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary.
Outcome of the Conference
1. The Winter Cities Showcase was held for the first time in conjunction with the Northern Intercity Conference and was the largest winter convention in northern regions, where people from different fields, including industries, academic institutes, and governments, gathered together.
2. The simultaneous opening of the Northern Intercity Conference and Winter Cities Showcase augmented interest concerning comfortable winter city development among residents, people from industrial fields and research organizations. The “Winter Cities Movement” with the slogan, “Winter is a Resource and Asset,” is spreading from Canada to the world.
3. Establishment of the Northern Intercity Conference Committee (NICC) and International Head Office was decided at the Conference in order to better coordinate the selection of the next host city of the Conference, and to better organize other events. The mayor of Sapporo took the office of Chairman, the mayors of Shenyang and Edmonton Standing Members, and the mayors of Sarajevo and Helsinki Non-Standing Members. The International Head Office was established in the International Relations Department of the city of Sapporo, after the Conference, in April 1988.
4. It was decided that the International Winter Cities Committee (IWCC) would be responsible as Secretariat for the Winter Cities Showcase.
5. Taking into consideration the proposal made by the city of Hull, Canada, regarding environmental pollution caused by de-icers and air pollution caused by the use of studded tires, the city of Sapporo conducted a survey and analyzed the conditions in northern cities. The report, “Survey on Snow Removal in Northern Cities,” was compiled in March 1989.
6. A survey report, “The Business of Winter”, published by The Economist Publications Limited in England as basic material for the Third Northern Intercity Conference, scientifically defined the word, “Winter Zone,” for the first time. It also presented geometric, demographic and economic analyses to identify a potential large market in the winter zone.
7. With the participation of five cities which had hosted the Olympic Games, in addition to St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) from the East, the Conference showed potential to grow beyond the boundary of East and West into a real “International Winter Cities Union.”
8. Networking among northern cities was formed and interchanges between different fields became active. Such examples are the “Stockholm High-Tech Economic Seminar” (April 1988, Sapporo); the “Sapporo Day in Stockholm” (August, 1988); and the “Arctic Housing Seminar, Tromsø, Norway” (November 1988, Sapporo).
9. A sister-city affiliation was established between two participating cities, Edmonton and Harbin.
