The city of Talca, which in Mapuche means "the sound of thunder", was founded in 1741. Historically, it was the last frontier between Spanish imperialists and the Mapuche population. The most recent 2013 census noted the city's population to be at 253,742.
Talca is the capital of Maule, Chile and the main service centre for the region. The city has existed there for 300 years. Talca has suffered a significant loss of material heritage due to a regular cycle of earthquakes which culminated in 2010.
Mazu belief is one of the most important religions in Taiwan. The Mazu pilgrimage held in every 3rd lunar month has been the most celebrated religious and cultural event all over the island.
As the European capital, Strasbourg is home to several European institutions like, for example, the European parliament, which has earned it its place on the European Heritage Label list.
Surakarta, known as Solo City, is in the Central Java Province of Indonesia. The city is a "melting pot" of ethnic (Arab, China, India, etc.) and religious (Muslims, Christians, Buddhist, Hindu, etc.) diversity.
Ségou was the capital of the former Bambara Empire, and is at the heart of West Africa in the southwest of Mali on the River Niger.
Seferihisar is a harbor town situated 45 km away from Izmir, on the Aegean coast in Turkey.
Salvador has an estimated population of about three million people. Tourism and cultural activities are important sources of employment and revenue, which drives the need for the arts and the preservation of cultural heritage.
Founded in 1926, Rouyn-Noranda is a city with 41,934 inhabitants, located 600 km to the northwest of Montreal, whose economy has historically been based on mineral and forestry resources.
The Old Town of Regensburg, in Germany, lies on the Danube and is an inner European mediaeval centre of trade. The interaction between cultural and architectural influences is emphasized.