:00:00. > :00:00.times. What's more at two o'clock but now
:00:00. > :00:21.on BBC News, it is for My City. Cities are never out of the news,
:00:22. > :00:24.and not always the best reasons. Over the past year, the BBC has
:00:25. > :00:29.reported across the world on the people and events that have shaped
:00:30. > :00:36.2013. When the headlines are over and the cameras are gone, life
:00:37. > :00:38.returns to normal. The BBC has journalists in more cities than any
:00:39. > :00:42.other international broadcaster. In the next half-hour, they will tell
:00:43. > :00:45.us what life is like in the cities that have been in the news, giving
:00:46. > :00:51.us an insight into the beautiful, frantic and often surprising cities
:00:52. > :00:54.that they call home. In a moment, we find out why hitchhiking is the best
:00:55. > :01:13.way to get to work in Havana, and why the president of Rwanda has to
:01:14. > :01:16.clean his own front doorstep. But first, Mumbai. Everywhere you look,
:01:17. > :01:31.people in a hurry. One of the most popular cities in the world, where
:01:32. > :01:34.time is money. Hi, this is my city. Surrounded by the Arabian Sea, it is
:01:35. > :01:48.hard to believe that this metropolis was once just a cluster of islands.
:01:49. > :02:00.It all changed when Portugal seized control in the 16th century.
:02:01. > :02:02.Look hard enough, and you will still discover areas of Portuguese
:02:03. > :02:14.colonial influence. This settlement is one of them. Some of these homes
:02:15. > :02:17.are more than 200 years old. They are vanishing fast. High-rise flats
:02:18. > :02:20.are taking their place. It is becoming a concrete jungle. In the
:02:21. > :02:24.end, we will need beautiful, quiet places. We may be able to save a
:02:25. > :02:28.small part of the city, but with the rest of the city being destroyed the
:02:29. > :02:37.way it is, I wonder what our children will be left with. The
:02:38. > :02:40.skyline is transforming. What has really affected the lives of
:02:41. > :02:44.residents are the violent attacks in recent years. What is striking is
:02:45. > :02:47.how quickly the city moves on. It is a tough place. Difficult to travel
:02:48. > :02:52.around. I often feel as though I cannot breathe. But if it all gets
:02:53. > :03:00.too much, this is the place to escape to. Look out to sea. Nothing
:03:01. > :03:07.is happening. It is perfect. The city will give you a fair chance if
:03:08. > :03:12.you are willing to work hard. Many come to the city to become a star.
:03:13. > :03:19.After all, it is the home of Bollywood. This dance class may be
:03:20. > :03:26.in a shanty town, but the dreams here are big. Everyone from slum dog
:03:27. > :03:35.to millionaire is just crazy about the movies. TRANSLATION: When I grow
:03:36. > :03:38.up, I want to be such a big superstar that when I walk in the
:03:39. > :03:43.streets, every person should recognise me. They should come to me
:03:44. > :03:54.and say, isn't she the same girl from that famous movie? Cricket is
:03:55. > :04:01.the only other pastime that unites us. There is one more thing, despite
:04:02. > :04:15.all our problems, we are eternal optimists. It all looks a bit mad,
:04:16. > :04:18.but this is laughter yoga. Practitioners swear that having a
:04:19. > :04:26.good giggle is the key to a healthy and happy life. In Mumbai, when life
:04:27. > :04:31.is stressful, we would say to come and join us. You forget all your
:04:32. > :04:36.problems, your depressions. Laughter is crazy? No, come and try it, it is
:04:37. > :04:42.excellent. It is the best medicine for your life. At times, I do feel
:04:43. > :04:50.frustrated that the people deserve better. But, there is not time to
:04:51. > :04:53.dwell on what could have been. Here, they live every day not with a sense
:04:54. > :04:54.of hopelessness, but eager anticipation of what tomorrow can
:04:55. > :05:13.bring. Mumbai is my city. Green and blue. A city that is
:05:14. > :05:27.buzzing. It continues to be haunted by a traumatic past. This is my
:05:28. > :05:41.city. The population is young, and growing rapidly. Modern buildings
:05:42. > :05:46.compete for a spot on the skyline. Two decades ago, it was so
:05:47. > :05:51.different. The darkest episode in our history? Ethnic groups at war,
:05:52. > :06:01.close to one million people murdered in the genocide, including members
:06:02. > :06:10.of my family. The challenge we faced was how to pacify the city after
:06:11. > :06:20.such horrors. One idea was reconciliation with villages.
:06:21. > :06:23.Survivors and perpetrators living side-by-side. TRANSLATION: It was
:06:24. > :06:26.very different for me to confess to murder. After being preached to
:06:27. > :06:34.while in prison, I felt the urge to repent and move on. TRANSLATION: I
:06:35. > :06:41.was hurt, I was angry, but he never gave up asking for my forgiveness.
:06:42. > :06:45.Eventually, it paid off. I forgave him because it was clear he had been
:06:46. > :07:01.forced into it. We have been living happily ever since. We are not shy.
:07:02. > :07:05.We do things in style. This is why I love my city. Technologically
:07:06. > :07:15.speaking, Kigali is well ahead of other African cities. Some prefer to
:07:16. > :07:20.do things the old-fashioned way. These fingers have been tapping out
:07:21. > :07:29.for over 30 years. They have typed up everything from government
:07:30. > :07:31.documents to love letters. TRANSLATION: Exchanges between
:07:32. > :07:35.married couples often contain very interesting details. Some stick in
:07:36. > :07:39.my mind. There was a letter I typed out on behalf of a woman writing to
:07:40. > :07:42.her husband. In the letter she said that she had decided to dump him
:07:43. > :07:53.because he had not shown enough love. Once a month, everything
:07:54. > :08:00.grinds to a halt. It is a communal clean-up where everyone gets
:08:01. > :08:05.involved. This is why we are one of the cleanest cities in the world. It
:08:06. > :08:10.is compulsory for the entire population, even the President.
:08:11. > :08:15.TRANSLATION: I hate people dodging the clean-up. Some even choose to
:08:16. > :08:18.pay the fine rather than come and help. It is in our best interest, I
:08:19. > :08:29.wish they would see that side of things. It is very important and
:08:30. > :08:34.brings the community together. This city has reinvented and rebranded
:08:35. > :08:45.itself for the better. Residents of Kigali are strong in body and mind.
:08:46. > :08:53.Proud to be from Rwanda. Kigali is my city.
:08:54. > :08:59.Coming up - rollerballers, and the real story behind a Scandinavian
:09:00. > :09:03.crime drama. First, we head to Asia, where we meet punks in Rangoon and
:09:04. > :09:18.get soaked in the Burmese New Year celebrations.
:09:19. > :09:21.A golden, glowing city. If the dazzling sights don't take your
:09:22. > :09:32.breath away, then the searing temperatures certainly will. Hi,
:09:33. > :09:37.this is my city. For the whole of my life, all of this was hidden from
:09:38. > :09:45.the world. Now, Rangoon has been uncovered. The transformation has
:09:46. > :09:50.been extraordinary. Looking good. Exposing skin to the cameras was
:09:51. > :09:58.previously forbidden. Society is more relaxed. These models are from
:09:59. > :10:06.the first ever agency. Those who have what it takes can now make
:10:07. > :10:11.serious money. TRANSLATION: To tell you the truth, the life of a model
:10:12. > :10:16.is a really hard job. We have to learn as needed. In this country, I
:10:17. > :10:23.believe we have become essential in promoting products. Although
:10:24. > :10:29.modernisation is hugely welcomed, there are painful side-effects. Old
:10:30. > :10:36.sites in prime locations are being marked out for development. This was
:10:37. > :10:42.once the most famous social club in all of Rangoon. It is now totally
:10:43. > :10:45.derelict. The biggest threats to this and the other heritage
:10:46. > :10:55.buildings is neglect. Everywhere you look, you see monks. Buddhism
:10:56. > :11:00.influences so much of what we do. Almost all Buddhists enter monkhood.
:11:01. > :11:06.Many start very young. Some will remain in the monastery for a few
:11:07. > :11:17.days, others, a lifetime. Living is simple and strict. TRANSLATION: My
:11:18. > :11:23.goal is peace of mind. I am still at the early stages of my study. I do
:11:24. > :11:35.not know much. The main thing is to control and conquer my mind, and
:11:36. > :11:41.study the religious texts. I came here for a better education. I
:11:42. > :11:51.arrived by boat when I was 15. I still remember the noise. I had
:11:52. > :11:54.feelings of excitement. Although the state controls much of what happens,
:11:55. > :12:07.there are always the nonconformists, the rebels. Punks have been around
:12:08. > :12:10.in Rangoon for decades. TRANSLATION: In the view of society, punks are
:12:11. > :12:15.young people who have spiky hair and leather jackets. In reality, what is
:12:16. > :12:22.really important is a rebellious mind that rejects tradition and all
:12:23. > :12:29.those useless things. How they dress does not matter, it is all about
:12:30. > :12:34.spirit. A place devoid of rules is the water festival. Pretty much
:12:35. > :12:48.anything goes. It is an ancient tradition to mark the Burmese New
:12:49. > :12:53.Year. It may not be the capital any more, but Rangoon remains the heart
:12:54. > :13:08.of the country. It is an exciting time to be here. Rangoon is my city.
:13:09. > :13:12.One of the last communist strongholds in the world, despite
:13:13. > :13:27.all its struggles, the people remain upbeat and proud of their city. This
:13:28. > :13:30.is my city. Famous for its drinks and cigars, it was the 1959
:13:31. > :13:38.communist revolution that transformed the lives of everyone
:13:39. > :13:48.here. Little has changed since I grew up. At every school, children
:13:49. > :13:50.still swear an oath to communism. It is not just politics that
:13:51. > :14:01.concentrates young minds, everyone is baseball crazy. From games on the
:14:02. > :14:08.streets to organised matches, it is the pastime of choice. Along with
:14:09. > :14:12.health and education, sport is one of the success stories of the
:14:13. > :14:13.revolution. TRANSLATION: When I grow up I want to play for Cuba's
:14:14. > :14:28.national team. Getting around in Havana is
:14:29. > :14:34.unpredictable but always exciting. Many of the American cars you see
:14:35. > :14:44.here are taxis. But locals can't really afford them. This is the
:14:45. > :14:49.alternative. Hitchhiking. Communism means that this is a secular
:14:50. > :14:52.society. For decades, religions were banned, but Afro-Cuban beliefs,
:14:53. > :14:58.along with Catholicism, have always been part of our culture. Now,
:14:59. > :15:05.ceremonies like this one have become widespread. Offerings are made to
:15:06. > :15:11.Saints in the hope of protection and good health. TRANSLATION: In every
:15:12. > :15:16.house of every Cuban family there are at least one or two followers
:15:17. > :15:26.who believe in the faith. Other family members will turn to them for
:15:27. > :15:35.help. There is one thing that everyone follows religiously, and
:15:36. > :15:38.that his socialism. Whether you are from just around the corner, or the
:15:39. > :15:43.other side of the world, making friends is always easy. It is not
:15:44. > :16:06.all about twisting and turning. Many here dream of a freer Cuba.
:16:07. > :16:15.This man raps about social change, and is banned from radio and TV. His
:16:16. > :16:25.music is spread by word of mouth. He believes his rapping has
:16:26. > :16:29.revolutionised the way people think. TRANSLATION: When I look at my city,
:16:30. > :16:42.I still adore it without that same childish innocence I once possessed.
:16:43. > :16:51.I see a place that is evolving, it is slowly opening up. Its lust for
:16:52. > :17:04.life never fading. Havana is my city.
:17:05. > :17:12.The gateway to west Africa. Busy, bustling, boundless energy. Two
:17:13. > :17:23.million of us grinding away in the heat, making this place boom. Accra
:17:24. > :17:26.is my city. As one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa,
:17:27. > :17:29.Ghana is upheld as a beacon to others, and the city has never been
:17:30. > :17:50.better off thanks to cocoa, gold and now oil. But the city has problems.
:17:51. > :17:54.Living conditions are poor, healthcare, basic. Many disabled
:17:55. > :17:58.people are shunned and left to be, but for brief few hours every Sunday
:17:59. > :18:01.this taxi park becomes their arena. Their sport, rollerball. It is not
:18:02. > :18:04.for the fainthearted either, the rough-and-tumble is part and parcel.
:18:05. > :18:12.TRANSLATION: It's not easy being disabled in Accra, the sport has
:18:13. > :18:37.changed my life. I feel like a star when I come down here on Sundays to
:18:38. > :18:43.play the game. There is a real community feel all over town. Life
:18:44. > :18:46.and death, everybody comes together. We do things a little differently.
:18:47. > :18:50.Even our funerals need to be seen to be believed. Crafted all over the
:18:51. > :18:53.city, all handmade, be it farmer or fisherman, these fantasy coffins are
:18:54. > :19:12.a reflection of your life, what you did and how you did it. These
:19:13. > :19:15.coffins are a trademark of Accra. They are not made anywhere else. If
:19:16. > :19:18.you see them being made anywhere else you know they have copied them
:19:19. > :19:31.from Accra. They are popular here, and everyone wants to be buried in
:19:32. > :19:35.one. On Friday evening, this city ignites. Fight night. We love a good
:19:36. > :19:38.fight, some of the world's boxing greats were born and bred here in
:19:39. > :19:54.Accra. We are famous for producing champions. But the first jabs start
:19:55. > :19:58.here. Early-morning workouts. Brutal late afternoon training. In one
:19:59. > :20:05.suburb, dozens of gyms filled with young fighters dreaming of a world
:20:06. > :20:17.title. The facilities may be basic, but the coaching is class. Accra in
:20:18. > :20:25.particular is so special for boxing. Most of our boxers are very
:20:26. > :20:38.aggressive. If I get the support, I give myself five years, I will bring
:20:39. > :20:41.world champions. With the economic boom and a feeling of luck, there is
:20:42. > :21:01.a feeling of good times for everybody. Accra is my city.
:21:02. > :21:12.Medieval and modern, once Sweden's Viking heartland. This is my city.
:21:13. > :21:15.Built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges, Stockholm is known for its
:21:16. > :21:23.long summer days and the never-ending icy winter nights. I
:21:24. > :21:29.was born in Iran, but came here with my family in the 80s. Then, you
:21:30. > :21:35.would only see fair skinned blondes, but not anymore. The central
:21:36. > :21:42.Stockholm market represents the shift in our make-up. The people
:21:43. > :21:53.here are as diverse as the flowers on sale. TRANSLATION: Most children
:21:54. > :21:57.who are born here go to school and learn several languages. Most people
:21:58. > :22:02.working here are immigrants, and we are able to support our families. I
:22:03. > :22:12.think Swedes can be proud that we live here. For a capital it is
:22:13. > :22:15.amazingly calm and peaceful. But it would be wrong to think the city
:22:16. > :22:17.doesn't have its challenges. It does. Violent crime, issues of
:22:18. > :22:35.corruption, tension around immigration. This is the darker
:22:36. > :22:38.side, one painted on the pages of crime novels. "In a doorway appeared
:22:39. > :22:41.a tall, sinewy old man, wrapped in a strange cloak. If he hadn't studied
:22:42. > :22:44.up on the nature of these organisations, he probably would
:22:45. > :22:48.have tried to twist the man's arm out of its socket. What do you do,
:22:49. > :22:55.said the man." This is fiction, but much of the subject matter is very
:22:56. > :22:58.real. "I am the guardian of the order of..." It may look very pretty
:22:59. > :23:07.from the outside, but on the inside it is as ugly as the rest of Europe.
:23:08. > :23:11.It is not a paradise, it is a lost paradise. Swedish crime is getting
:23:12. > :23:29.more and more to the surface. It used to be hidden away, tucked
:23:30. > :23:32.away. Stockholm always has a way of surprising you. This is the world's
:23:33. > :23:36.longest art exhibition, 110km of it. It certainly brightens up the day.
:23:37. > :23:38.If it is not the Metro, then it is the buildings, the parks, the
:23:39. > :24:10.people. Stockholm is all about looking the part. Like so many
:24:11. > :24:13.aspects of our life, we take a practical approach to what we wear.
:24:14. > :24:15.There are countless designers setting trends across the globe.
:24:16. > :24:19.Young, fresh, sporty chic. It is part of the lifestyle here to look
:24:20. > :24:23.good. To dress nice, it is really fresh what people are wearing, very
:24:24. > :24:26.new and fresh, I think. I get a lot of inspiration from here, and you
:24:27. > :24:29.can probably see that in the collection. Minimalistic designs an
:24:30. > :24:35.simple cuts. Beauty is everywhere, on the streets and the faces of the
:24:36. > :24:51.people. Each time I return, something else has changed. A city
:24:52. > :24:53.in motion. Stockholm is my city. That is all from our special
:24:54. > :24:56.programme. With more reporters in more cities around the world than
:24:57. > :24:58.any other broadcaster, the BBC brings the people, the stories and
:24:59. > :25:14.the local knowledge to you. It is going to be a rather damp
:25:15. > :25:18.Monday morning, many places will brighten up as we go through the
:25:19. > :25:22.day. At the moment, lots of cloud covering the UK. The rain is really
:25:23. > :25:23.quite heavy, there could be a lot of standing water and spray on the
:25:24. > :25:25.roads on Monday