UNESCO Launches Youth Hackathon 2025 to Tackle Global Information Challenges

UNESCO is calling on young innovators from across the globe to take part in the Youth Hackathon 2025, one of the flagship initiatives of its Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week. Building on the momentum of its 2024 edition, which attracted 202 teams from 68 countries, the 2025 hackathon promises to be even more impactful.

This Year’s Theme:Youth Leading the Way: Building MIL Solutions for Impact

The hackathon aims to empower youth aged 18 to 30 to collaboratively address some of the most pressing issues in today’s digital information landscape, including:

• The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• The global spread of mis- and disinformation
• Online hate speech and polarization
• Threats to information integrity and press freedom
• The dominance of digital platforms and algorithms

All participants will benefit from free online mentoring with international experts before final submission. Winning teams will be invited to present their projects at the Global MIL Week Conference on 23–24 October 2025 in Cartagena, Colombia, with travel and accommodation fully covered by UNESCO.

Who Can Participate?

UNESCO invites:

• Teams of 3 to 6 members (national, regional, or international)
• All participants aged 18 to 30
• Youth aligned with UNESCO’s values: peace, inclusion, diversity, and freedom of expression
• Teams with gender balance and inclusivity
• No prior experience is required—only passion and creativity

Youth Hackathon 2025 – Step-by-Step Timeline

First, from 31 July to 15 August, you can register to join the Youth Hackathon and secure your place in the mentoring programme.

Once registered, you'll participate in the Mentoring Programme, which will take place online on 19–20 August. This free training will help teams improve their knowledge of media and information literacy (MIL) and project development.

From 8 August to 1 September, teams can submit their final project proposals through the UNESCO website.

Then, between 1 and 12 September, an international jury will evaluate all submissions based on creativity, impact, and feasibility.

Finally, on 24 October, selected teams will travel to Cartagena, Colombia, to present their projects during Global MIL Week 2025.

Challenge Tracks

Teams can develop projects under one or more of the following categories:

• AI & MIL: Tackling AI’s impact through MIL innovation
• MIL Education: New tools and ideas for learning MIL
• Community Impact: Empowering local communities with MIL
• Youth Engagement: Supporting youth organizations as change-makers
• Open Track: Any original MIL-related idea aligned with the theme

Project Formats

Proposals can take any of these forms:

• Games
• Apps or websites
• Radio shows or podcasts
• Comics, short videos, or documentaries
• Educational kits or toolkits
• Youth-led campaigns
• Community outreach programs
• Any creative format that brings MIL to life

Submission Requirements

Each team must submit two main components:

1. Proposal Document (PDF/Word) has to include team members, problem, objectives, audience, concept/prototype, creativity, and feasibility
2. Pitch Video (max. 3 minutes) has to explain your idea, impact, and innovation

Submission link and instructions will be shared in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on their official website.

How Projects Will Be Evaluated

An international jury will assess submissions based on:

• Clarity of Presentation (20%)
• Consistency with the Theme (20%)
• Innovation and Creativity (20%)
• Feasibility and Sustainability (20%)
• Impact & Inclusion (20%)

Have Questions?

Reach out to the UNESCO MIL team at:
📩 MILunit@unesco.org