Bulgaria's coastal city of Burgas has joined Bloomberg Philanthropies, a new competition calling for European cities to generate bold ideas to solve common challenges.

The Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg announced at the end of September last year the launch of Bloomberg Philanthropies' 2013-2014 Mayors Challenge.

The competition aims to inspire European cities to come up with bold ideas that solve major problems and improve city life – and that ultimately can be shared with other cities.

The Bulgarian city will vie with another 182 European cities, promoting his project platform for the safe movement of people in urban environment.

Modelled on a successful inaugural competition in the United States, the Mayors Challenge will award EUR 5 M for the grand prize winner and EUR 1 M for four additional cities that come up with the boldest and most transferable ideas.

"The Mayors Challenge has been a big success here in the United States, and now we're bringing it across the Atlantic to find a whole new set of cutting-edge ideas," said Bloomberg, philanthropist and Mayor of New York City.

"On so many issues, cities are redefining the future, and the Mayors Challenge is intended to help accelerate that progress and spread it far and wide."

The competition invites leaders of European cities with 100,000 residents or more to submit their city's boldest idea.

In last year's inaugural Mayors Challenge in the United States, over 300 American cities participated and submissions covered a diverse array of issues. Providence, Rhode Island was presented the Mayors Challenge Grand Prize for Innovation and a USD 5 M implementation award for its cutting-edge early education initiative.