Lausanne, Switzerland – Less than three weeks remain before the largest winter event in the world is scheduled to take place on Jan. 22. The inaugural FIS World Snow Day aims to bring children between four and 14 – together with their families – to the slopes, trails and tracks, in a fun-filled day of events, activities and competitions on snow. The inaugural World Snow Day will consist of 225 events in 39 countries.

The initiative falls under the International Ski Federation’s (FIS) “Bring Children to the Snow” campaign, which was launched in 2007 and celebrates winter sports as a fun, healthy and social recreation activity for children of all fitness levels and capabilities. The World Snow Day 2012 will be the first event to be conducted on a global scale, joining the worldwide community in celebrating snow sports as part of a healthy lifestyle, and to foster global awareness of the importance of nurturing the natural environment.

With such as large number of events as part of World Snow Day, the variety is also extensive. Some examples include: a winter wonderland in the heart of Tokyo; free ski and snowboard lessons across Poland; the Snow and Ice Festival in China; free skiing and snowboarding for kids under 12 in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada; Winter Sports Festival in Lake Placid, N.Y., USA; free ski and snowboard lessons in India; and a world record attempt in La Molina, Spain.

Countries participating include America, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Japan, Iceland, Australia, Russia and Spain, amongst others. The event’s motto to “Explore, Experience and Enjoy the Snow” will be consistently shared across the world, while the worldwide festivities will adhere to the unique identity of each location.

FIS is also partnering with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Eurosport and Infront Sports & Media to broadcast a World Snow Day TV trailer now through Jan. 22 across the globe. In addition, a virtual World Snow Day promotional campaign has been launched where activities will be featured on the various FIS websites and social media channels for the final days leading into the inaugural event.

For more information on World Snow Day visit www.world-snow-day.com.