The 11th National Public Ice and Snow Season opening ceremony is held on Dec 21 in Hulunbuir. [Photo/Inner Mongolia Daily]

The 11th National Public Ice and Snow Season kicked off on Dec 21 in Hulunbuir, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

This year's theme, "Joyful Ice and Snow, Creating the Future," is the first season following the State Council's release of the "Guidelines for High-Quality Ice and Snow Sports Development to Boost the Ice and Snow Economy."

This season features 1,853 activities nationwide, including 820 competitions, 655 recreational events, 378 festivals, and other comprehensive activities.

Alongside the main event in Hulunbuir, sub-venues are set up in provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Shanghai, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Ningxia, and Xinjiang. Ice and snow events across Inner Mongolia also add local flair to the season, which will run until April 2025.

Organizers aim to spotlight traditional folk sports, creating accessible, locally distinctive events for public enjoyment. Ice and snow sports facilities and training resources will also be opened periodically to youth teams, and private venues are encouraged to join the "Ice and Snow for All" initiative, making sports more accessible to the public.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach sent a video congratulating the event's opening.

The opening ceremony also unveiled a national directory of ice and snow events under the "Travel with Sports" initiative, further integrating sports, culture, and tourism while transforming winter's "cold resources" into a "hot economy."