UNESCO Global Youth Hackathon 2026 Opens for Registration
Play Your Part:
Youth Designing the Future of Media and Information Literacy
The record-breaking 2025 edition, which attracted over 1,200 teams from 138 countries, demonstrated the power of young people to drive innovation and create impactful solutions for today’s rapidly evolving information environment.
Building in this momentum, the UNESCO Youth Hackathon 2026, under the theme of "Play Your Part: Youth Designing the Future of Media and Information Literacy (MIL)", recognizes young people as key drivers of innovation and change, empowering them to contribute their creativity, leadership, and diverse perspectives to advance MIL worldwide.
The winning teams will be invited by UNESCO to participate in the Voices European Festival of Journalism and Media Freedom in Thessaloniki, Greece, from 26–28 November 2026, where they will have the opportunity to showcase their projects and engage with other stakeholders.
Call for Participation:
Win a Trip to Greece
Open to global youth aged 18 – 30 from around the world. Participants can collaborate with their peers and co-design innovative MIL solutions.
Registration Link:
Mentoring Programme
All registered participants will have access to a two-day mentoring programme scheduled for 1 - 2 July featuring experts in MIL, digital transformation, AI, project development, and innovation. These sessions are designed to help you strengthen your ideas and prepare a competitive project proposal.
PS: Live session places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so early registration is highly recommended. Participants who do not secure a live place will still receive full access to recordings and learning materials.
Who Can Participate?
UNESCO invites young changemakers to join this global event:
Teams of 2–6 members(national, regional, or international)
All team members must be 18–30 years old
Teams should align with UNESCO’s values, including peace, respect for diversity, and freedom of expression
Gender balance and inclusion are highly encouraged
No prior experience required—only passion and motivation!
Where to Start?
Teams can choose one or more of the following focus areas:
AI and MIL:
Innovative solutions addressing challenges posed by AI through MIL
MIL Education:
Creative approaches to MIL learning in the digital age
Community Impact:
MIL-based interventions that empower communities
Youth Engagement:
Strategies to position youth organizations as MIL change agents
Open Track:
Other MIL-related ideas aligned with this year’s theme
What Kind of Proposals Are We Looking For?
Your proposal can be one of the following categories:
Games
Applications/Websites
Radio programmes/Podcasts
Artistic work such ascomics, short videos, documentaries, etc.
Educational toolkits
Youth organization campaigns
Community-based interventions
Other creative modalities for innovative interventions
How to Submit?
Each team must prepare two components, which can be submitted in English.
Proposal Document (PDF or Word)
Include team members, problem statement, objectives, target audience, prototype or concept, sustainability, creativity, and feasibility
Keep it clear, concise, well-structured and readable
Pitch Video (max. 3 minutes)
Create a short video that showcases your project idea in a clear and engaging way. This is your chance to bring your concept to life and convince the jury of its value.
Tell the story behind your idea
What problem are you solving, and why does it matter?
Explain your solution
What is your project?
How does it work?
Who will benefit from it?
Highlight originality and impact
What makes your idea unique or meaningful?
What kind of impact it would have?
Timeline
Registration
Registration is now open.
Join young innovators from around the world and help shape the future of Media and Information Literacy.
Official information:
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-youth-hackathon-2026
Registration: