Burgas, Bulgaria — October 2026

City Ideas Forum

Forum Signup

Participation is free.
Tell us who you are and how many seats you need; we will confirm by email.

About the Forum

The City Ideas Forum brings together city officials, urban innovators, and engaged citizens to exchange practical ideas for better European cities. Hosted in Burgas as part of the City Lovers programme, the day combines short talks, partner-led discussions, and direct exchange with projects from across the network.

9th October 2026When
Flora Center, BurgasWhere
Half day, afternoonFormat
Free to attendCost

Program

Flora Center, Burgas — October 9, 2026

13:00
Institute Presentation
Mission, partnerships and plans for the Gradolubitelite network.
15 min · Presentation
13:15
Burgas Open Urban Lab
How Burgas 2032 becomes a living laboratory for urban innovation.
15 min · Presentation
13:30
International Perspectives
13:30
How cities and citizens partner
Helfried Carl
20 min · Keynote
13:50
How Cluj changed its fate
Calin Hintea
20 min · Keynote
14:10
Short & Useful — Vol. 1
14:10
How movements grow and how to find funding
Martin Yankov
10 min · Talk
14:20
Urban Technology and City Media
10 min · Talk
14:30
Transport and What We Can Do About It
10 min · Talk
14:40
The Environment and How to Protect Green Spaces
10 min · Talk
14:50
Where to find funding? EU finance and other options
10 min · Keynote
15:00
Gradolubitelite — Vol. 1
Short presentations by network members seeking partners and support.
10 min · 5 × 2 min
15:10
Networking hour — stands
Open conversations and partnerships across 5 thematic stands.
60 min · Networking
16:10
16:20
Stand conclusions
20 min · 4 × 5 min
16:40
The Winners — CityLovers Alumni
Panel with past winners — what happened after the award.
30 min · Alumni panel
17:10
Awards 2026 — official ceremony
Presenting awards to the active urban movements of 2026.
30 min · Ceremony
17:40
End of program

Participants

Keynote speakers
Helfried Carl
Helfried Carl
Institute for Innovation in Politics
Austrian diplomat, former Ambassador of Austria to Slovakia (2014–2019). Founder of the European Capital of Democracy — an initiative to strengthen democracy through innovation in urban politics.
CH
Calin Hintea
Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Professor of Strategy and Management at Babeș-Bolyai University. Former Head of the Strategy Unit at Romania's Prime Minister's Office. Architect of Cluj's strategy to become a leading IT hub.
Stand curators
YL
Yovko Lambrev
Toest
AS
Anina Santova
Sofia Reporter
MA
Martin Yankov
Kolektivat
GH
City for the People
Plovdiv
BD
Zapazete Bedechka
Stara Zagora
NU
Na Ulitsata

Main Partners

Fund for Sustainable Urban Development

The Forum is made possible with the support of the Fund for Sustainable Urban Development.

Burgas 2032 Foundation

The Forum is held with the support of the Burgas 2032 Foundation.

Keynote Partners

Innovation in Politics InstituteVienna
Calin HinteaProfessor at Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj

Who Should Attend

How many seats do you need?

Filling out this attendance form for the forum is not a registration for the CityLovers contest. Thank you for confirming! See you in Burgas!

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