Mayors of 30 northern cities around the globe will meet in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, from Jan. 13 to 18, 2006, at the 12th meeting of the World Winter City Association for Mayors titled "Development in Winter."

Attendees will include mayors from cities with similar climatic conditions of a dozen countries and regions including Japan, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Greenland and China, the city government of Changchun announced on Thursday.

A meeting of winter city mayors, a forum for winter cities and a winter city products exhibition will be staged during the six-day event period.

The meeting will focus on topics such as sustainable development of winter cities, energy resources and environment protection, winter tourism and trade and economic cooperation and ways for further development of winter cities.

Experts will exchange views on urban planning and construction, environmental protection, energy resources, medical services health, education, tourism, food, lifestyle and human resources, in order to find proper ways to promote development of winter cities.

The exhibition will showcase name brands and quality products made by member cities such as winter clothing, articles used in traveling in winter, sport goods, antifreeze and warm products.

The World Winter City Association for Mayors was formerly known as International Northern City Association for Mayors, which was initiated by Sapporo city of Japan in 1982. The association now consists of 19 member cities. Changchun became a member in 1988.

The association meets every two years.

Source: Xinhua