Deadline: October 3, 2021
What can youth do to harness Media and Information Literacy to build the post-pandemic world for the public good? Hack Media and Information Literacy for Better Futures – a Global Youth Hackathon led by UNESCO and South Africa, in cooperation with European Commission, IBM Z and other partners, will seek to answer this question.
In partnership with the EU-funded project Social Media 4 Peace, the 2021 UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Hackathon seeks to tackle the specific challenges in promoting peace building narratives, and to address hate speech through media and information literacy. The call for applications is now launched globally.
Challenges
Within the theme “Hack Media and Information Literacy for Better Futures”, participating teams will design innovative and creative solutions to one of the following three challenges:
- Media and Information Literate Youth to Promote Peacebuilding Narratives and Address Hate Speech
- Media and Information Literacy within Youth Organizations: Innovative Ideas
- Media and Information Literacy in City Spaces
Solution Categories
- Game
- Application/Website
- Radio programme/Podcast
- Creative community-based intervention (non-technology focused)
Benefits
All participating teams will receive a certificate of participation.
Winning teams will gain:
- Opportunity to present their projects globally during an online press conference at the Global MIL Week 2021 Youth Agenda Forum.
- Invitation to UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2022 Feature Events.
- A winning certificate from UNESCO.
- Recognition through a UNESCO press release and various media channels.
Eligibility
- Participating teams will comprise 3-6 members (ensuring gender parity, teams can be national, regional or international).
- Any group of persons who are aged between 18 and 35 years and adheres to the values of UNESCO, such as peace, respect for diversity, freedom of expression etc.
- No previous computer science or coding background is required.
- Experience and expertise in gaming, mobile application, website and radio/media content development would be an asset.
Submission Format
Prototype of the solution and a 3-minute video pitch (a creative format is strongly recommended), which must present:
- The team composition
- Problem statement, objectives, audience and alignment with one of the three challenges
- Explanation of the prototype
- Feasibility
- Deployment strategies / Business model and evidence of market validation
- Sustainability
Evaluation Criteria
- Consistency
- Excellence
- Feasibility and Sustainability
- Potential Impact
Application
Applications must be submitted by 3 October 2021, at 00:00 Paris time. Late applications will not be considered.
For more information, visit UNESCO.
