The UNESCO Youth Hackathon invites young people ages 18–30 to design projects that advance Media and Information Literacy (MIL). The 2025 edition drew over 1,200 teams from 138 countries.
2026 theme:
"Play Your Part: Youth Designing the Future of Media and Information Literacy"
Challenge tracks:
Teams choose one or more focus areas: AI and MIL, MIL Education, Community Impact, Youth Engagement, or an Open Track for other MIL ideas that fit the theme. Projects can take many forms, including games, apps or websites, podcasts, comics or short films, educational toolkits, campaigns, and community interventions.
Submission requirements:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Proposal document | PDF or Word, up to 10 MB, in English |
| Pitch video | Up to 3 minutes; any language with English subtitles |
| Team size | 2–6 members, all ages 18–30 |
2026 timeline:
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Call for participation | From June 15 |
| Online mentoring | July 1–2 |
| Submission window | July 6 to August 16 |
| Global evaluation | August 18 to September 15 |
| Winner announcement | September 15–30 |
| Official announcement | During Global MIL Week, October 24–31 |
| Winners ceremony | November 26–28 |
UNESCO's timeline lists the winner announcement for September 15–30, with four winning teams selected in mid-September. The same page says the winners will be officially announced during Global Media and Information Literacy Week, October 24–31.
UNESCO has not announced a 2027 edition.
Prize:
Four winning teams are selected and invited to the Voices European Festival of Journalism and Media Freedom in Thessaloniki, Greece. UNESCO covers flights, accommodation, and meals for 2 members of each winning team.
About UNESCO:
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a UN specialized agency founded in 1945 and headquartered in Paris.