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.

Mayor: Ms. Michèle Rubirola

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.

Lord Mayor: Councillor David Cook

Population:   279,100 residents.

General information and special features

Newcastle lies in the heart of north-eastern England. Along with Gateshead, the city is the local capital for a population of upwards of two million people, and plays an important part in propelling the regional financial growth, research and education, and in creating cultural assets of international significance.

Mayor: Mr. Gennadiy Trukhanov

Population:  1,003,705 residents.  

A brief history of the city

Odessa was established in 1794 by Catherine II (the Great), with the intention of creating a port that will strengthen the southern borders of the Russian Empire. Odessa quickly surpassed all expectations, and became financially prosperous. Over the years, Odessa was subject to governmental overturns and many conquests, due to its strategic location and advanced port.

Councillor: Rob Wood

Population: 205,400 residents.

A brief history of the city

Initially, Portsmouth was a Saxon fishing village that evolved into a military fortified city, until it became home of the strongest fleet in European history. In 1194 Portsmouth officially earned the status of a city, through a royal charter from King Richard the Lionheart. The first wharf in Portsmouth was constructed in 1495. In 1557 a great fire ravaged the city's buildings, and Queen Elizabeth I ordered a country-wide fundraiser for the benefit of the city's residents.  

Mayor: Mr. Pablo Lautaro Javkin

Population:  1,193,000 residents.

General information and special feature

Established in the beginning of the 18th century, Rosario is the third largest city in the Argentine Republic. The city is an urban center for regional development in Argentina, and a locus of commercial and business activity in the heart of the country's agricultural province. It is located in the southern part of the Santa Fe province, along the shores of the Paraná River, 300 kilometers south-west to the capital, Buenos Aires.

Mayor: Ms. London Breed

Population:  837,442 residents.

General information and special features

San Francisco is renowned for its beauty and its unique sites, making it an ideal tourist attraction. Consequently, many around the world believe San Francisco to be the most beautiful city on Earth. The city's population includes a wide variety of ethnic, cultural and traditional groups.

Mayor: Mr. Gong Zheng

Population: Approx. 24,150,000 residents.

General information and special features

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China. With an impressive harbor, the city is a center for business, commerce and industry, as well as a center of science and technology. The city is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, with a conduit to the Pacific Ocean.

Mayor:  Mr. Zheng Jiange

Population: Approx. 5.58 million citizens. 

General information and special features

Shantou consists of six districts and one county, covers 2245 km² land area. Shantou locates in the east of Guangdong Province and in the south of the Hanjiang River Delta. Shantou City has always been an important transportation hub, an import and export port and a commodity distribution center and known as the "Communication Center of South China and Gateway of East Guangdong".

Mayor: Mr. Chen Rugui 

Population: Approximately 10 million residents. 

General information and special features

Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China’s Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The area became China’s first and one of the most successful Special Economic Zones (SEZs). It currently also holds sub-provincial administrative status, with powers slightly less than a province.