Mayor: Mr. Thomas Kastrup-Larsen

Population: 205,809 residents.

A brief history of the city
The Vikings founded Aalborg where the waters of the Limfjord are at their narrowest. The city's history began over 1,000 years ago: during the Middle Ages Aalborg was already one of the biggest settlements in Denmark, and enjoyed an extensive commerce in bulls, salted fish and grain. In 1342, King Valdemar of Denmark granted Aalborg, then a thriving coastal village, a charter that regulated the relationship between the king and the municipality, and empowered civic leaders to provide efficient local government and services to its citizens. In 1516 Aalborg received from the king the monopoly over the trade in Herring fish, in conjunction with the city of Longstore. The civil war of the following years caused general regression, yet Aalborg overcame this crisis rapidly. In the 19th century the first bridge over the fjord was built, and in 1933 was constructed the existing bridge, that connects both sides of the fjord.

Mayor: Mr. Bart De Wever

Population: 510,610 residents.

A brief history of the city
Evidence was found in Antwerp indicating the existence of settlements there as early as the 2nd or 3rd century, when the Flemish city evolved around two settlements that later on were surrounded by one wall. The city continued to spread in concentric circles, and reached its first economic prosperity at the beginning of the 14th century, as the major center of commerce and trade in Western Europe, based on its harbor and cotton market.

Mayor: Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte

Population: 548,547 residents.

A brief history of the city

Bremen is the smallest among the 16 States of the Federal German Republic. It is the third most populous in Northern Germany and the tenth in Germany. Bremen is 1,200 years old and in ancient times constituted a center of Christian missions to north and northeast Europe. The city played an important role in the Hanseatic League during the Middle Ages, and evolved in the tradition of a trading center, which developed in the area.

Mayor: Mr. Dan Plato

Population: 3,740,026 residents.

Brief Historical Overview of the City

Cape Town first got its name in the year 1488, when Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias called it the “Cape of Good Hope.” Cape Town became a municipality in 1840. In the middle of the 19th century, railway tracks were laid, diamond and gold mines were opened, the harbor infrastructure was improved, and the city’s economy grew and prospered. At the beginning of the 20th century, international companies started to open manufacturing plants in Cape Town, which until then had relied on importing most of the items manufactured for daily use. In the 1930s, the first series of laws were passed revoking the rights of black residents of Cape Town.

Mayor: Mr. Luo Qiang 

Population: 14,047,627 residents.

A brief history of the city

Chengdu (Chéngdū; 成都) is the provincial capital of Sichuan in Southwest China, as well as a major city in Western China and an important crossroad. It is built circularly, with three surrounding beltways. In the middle of the city lies Tianfu Square, where there is a statue of Mao Zedong. The city was established in BC 316 approximately. Chengdu is renowned for its panda bears, and is the birthplace of the world's first ever paper currency, Jiao Zi, in the year 1023, during the Song dynasty. Most of the city's population is comprised of Han Chinese, the largest ethnic group in China. The city's population numbers some 7.5 million residents, with 6.5 million more living in the surrounding areas and the suburbs, making it the fifth largest city in China. Many of the villagers in the Sichuan province move to the city, so its population tends to grow.

Lord Mayor: Mr. Thomas Geisel 

Population: 598,686 residents.

A brief history of the city

Düsseldorf developed from a petty agrarian settlement on the banks of Düssel River, to become a prosperous metropolis. Düsseldorf’s history begins in 1135: Under Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa, the small town of Kaiserswerth to the north of Düsseldorf, became a well-fortified outpost. Kaiserswerth eventually became a suburb of Düsseldorf in 1929.

Lord Mayor: Mr. Andreas Bausewein

Population: 204,880 residents.

General information and special features

Erfurt is the capital of Thuringia, known as The Green Heart of Germany. It has one of the oldest preserved urban centers in Germany, The Old City, which was extensively renovated and reconstructed, and is imbued with a unique charm created by the buildings from the middle ages and the parks and gardens that surround it. In 1994 the city won a gold medal in a national competition for its excellence in the preservation of historic buildings. The city spreads over 1,400 acres, with close to 5,000 acres of woods, 950 acres of waters and 100 miles of rivers.

Mayor: Dean J. Trantalis

Population: 183,000 residents.

General information and special features

Fort Lauderdale is renowned for its beaches, stretching along more than ten kilometers, and for having Florida's most beautiful promenade. The Atlantic offers a perfect environment for water sports, diving and snorkeling.

Mayor: Mr. Philip Glanville 

Population: 209,000 residents.

A brief history of the city

It has a prosperous Jewish community since the 17^th century, a large community of Caribbean expatriates since the 1950s, and a firmly integrated community of African expatriates since the 17^th century. In addition there are also communities of Indian, Asian, Turkish and Cyprian origins.

Mayor: Mr. Nicos Nicolaides 

Population: 160,000 residents.

A brief history of the city

Limassol is located between the ancient cities Amathus and Curium, and was populated since ancient times. In 1191, King Richard the Lionheart liberated Cyprus from the Byzantine dominion, a campaign during which the nearby Amathus was destroyed and its residents were transferred to Limassol. For a period of about three centuries, Limassol enjoyed remarkable prosperity under various rulers, until the occupation of Cyprus by the Ottomans in AD 1570. The settlement of merchants in Limassol in the 13^th century led to the financial welfare of its inhabitants and the development of the harbor as a center of transportation and commerce. The conquest of the city by the Turks brought with it devastation and destruction and a steep decline in the residents' situation.

Lord Mayor: Mr. Michael Ebling

Population: 202,756 residents.

Brief Historical Overview of the City

The city originated in a Celt settlement that later on became the center of Germania Superior, a province of the Roman Empire. In the course of time Mainz evolved to be a prosperous metropolis of the area, boasting the foremost cotton and textile industries along the Rhine. During the 18th century Mainz was alternately annexed to German and French reigns. The 19th century saw the formation of the modern Electorate of Mainz, on the lands of the province formerly conquered by the French. Under the rule of Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, the former Electorate developed and prospered, and became the area’s spiritual capital. During the years, Mainz was the battlefield of intense religious-political struggles between duchies and various Christian denominations.

Mayor: Mr. Isko Moreno

Population:  11,885,790 residents.

A brief history of the city

In 1521 the Spanish conquered the islands and named them after King Philip II. During the 1898 Spanish-American War, the American admiral George Dewey invaded Manila Bay. The area was under the USA’s patronage until after WW2, when the Philippines became an independent country.

Lord Mayor: Dr. Peter Kurz

Population:  294,627 residents.

Brief Historical Overview of the City

Mannheim is the second largest city in the state of Baden-Württemberg after the capital Stuttgart. Mannheim is situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar rivers, in the northwestern corner of Baden-Württemberg. To the west of Mannheim, across the Rhine, lies the city of Ludwigshafen. The Hessian border is north of the city. Mannheim is unique among German cities in that its downtown area is laid out in a grid pattern (called Quadrate – squares), much like many North American cities. The main route through the squares leads to an enormous 18th century castle that houses the University of Mannheim.

Mayor: Mr. Jean-Claude Gaudin

Population:  850,636 residents.

A brief history of the city

Marseille was founded by the Greeks in the 7th century and has known many upheavals since. In the 12thcentury the Black Plague terrorized the city; in the 14th century Marseille was pillaged by Alfonso V King of Aragon; during the 15th and 16th centuries Fort Saint-Jean and a wharf were built on the northern bank of the port, the first naval connections with the East were established, Château d’If was built, and a sugar distillery and a soap plant soap were erected. In the 18th century Marseille suffered another outburst of the Bubonic Plague, and at the same time had an additional period of development in the course of which the château Borély was built and the trade via the Indian Ocean commenced.