Finland Times

 

Rovaniemi City Hall. FTimes Photo.

Rovaniemi will host the 2020 World Winter Cities Association for Mayors (WWCAM), a biennial mayoral conference of the global network of winter cities.

 

The selection of the capital of Finnish Lapland as the host of the WWCAM event was made in July in Sapporo of Japan during the 17th convergence of the global network.

 

Rovaniemi had joined the association in 2014. The WWCAM, formerly known as the Northern Intercity Conference of Mayors, was founded in 1981 under the leadership of Sapporo. 

 

The platform now unites 21 cities from 10 countries from three continents.

 

This year the convention was held for the first time in summer – a move to highlight the attractive aspects of summer in winter cities. 

 

The assembly of mayors discussed winter technologies, experiences, and implications for city planning under the guiding philosophy of “winter is a resource and an asset.” 

 

Rovaniemi Mayor Esko Lotvonen. FTimes File Photo.

In the 2016 conference, Rovaniemi made a presentation on Arctic design and its urban planning, highlighting in particular the development potentials of Ounasvaara.

 

What is more, Rovaniemi Mayor Esko Lotvonen was elected the association’s vice chair this year.

 

“The organisation has a good networking and so is a good marketing channel for the expertise of Rovaniemi in winter and the arctic region.  The total population of the member cities is about 30 million and they cover North America, Asia and Europe geographically. The emphasis on Asia is strong, which is really important from the perspective of Rovaniemi’s tourism market,” Mayor Lotvonen told Finnish Language daily Lapin Kansa.

 

Lotvonen believes Rovaniemi’s selection as the host of 2020 conference will add much to the city’s international visibility.