Are you passionate about digital innovation, media literacy, and creating impact in your community? Applications are now open for the UNESCO Youth Hackathon 2025—a fully funded global event taking place in Cartagena, Colombia this October!
This exciting program brings together young changemakers from around the world to collaborate on innovative solutions to global digital challenges—such as misinformation, online hate speech, the impact of AI, and information integrity.
Winners will have the chance to showcase their ideas during the UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week, with flights and accommodation fully covered.
Program Overview
- Host Country: Colombia
- City: Cartagena
- Dates: October 23–24, 2025
- Duration: 2 Days
- Funding: Fully Funded by UNESCO
- Application Deadline: August 15, 2025
What Is the UNESCO Youth Hackathon?
The hackathon is part of UNESCO’s Global MIL Week—an international initiative to promote media and information literacy among youth. It provides an inclusive platform for young people to co-create projects that tackle digital challenges and promote positive change.
What Does the Scholarship Cover?
Selected participants will receive:
- Round-trip airfare to Colombia
- Free accommodation during the event
- Pre-event mentorship and guidance
- Opportunity to pitch and present at the Global MIL Week Conference
Theme:
Youth Leading the Way: Building MIL Solutions for Impact
Focus Areas
Participants can develop ideas under the following tracks:
- AI & MIL – Solutions that explore AI challenges through a media literacy lens
- MIL Education – Creative tools and resources for MIL learning
- Community Impact – Projects that empower local communities through MIL
- Youth Engagement – Initiatives led by youth organizations
- Open Track – Any innovative idea aligned with the theme
Accepted Project Types
Your idea can take the form of:
- Games or apps
- Websites or digital tools
- Podcasts or radio shows
- Short films, comics, or documentaries
- Educational kits or toolkits
- Community campaigns
- Artistic or creative interventions
Eligibility Criteria
- Open to all nationalities
- Team Size: 3 to 6 members (can be from the same or different countries)
- Age: 18–30 years old
- No prior experience required – just motivation and a great idea!
- Diversity encouraged – gender-balanced, inclusive teams are strongly welcomed
How to Apply
Ready to join? Apply online through the official UNESCO Hackathon platform.
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