The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts has announced that Youth Hack 2025 will take place from 11–13 December, offering a first-place prize of MVR 100,000. The event will be held at the recently opened Youth Hub, which continues to expand programmes aimed at empowering young people across the country.

According to the Ministry, the hackathon is open to participants aged 18 to 35, with registration available through an online form or QR code. The programme will focus on four thematic areas designed to reflect current opportunities and challenges faced by Maldivian youth.

The four themes are:

The top three teams will be awarded cash prizes, with MVR 100,000 for the first-place winners, MVR 75,000 for second place, and MVR 50,000 for third place.

The Ministry noted that the Youth Hackathon was first introduced during the Administration of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, forming part of a series of youth-focused initiatives launched within the first 14 weeks of the current Administration. Officials said the purpose of the hackathon is to help young people develop critical technology skills and gain awareness of emerging opportunities in the global digital market.

Last year’s hackathon received strong public participation, and the Ministry expects increased interest this year with the addition of the Youth Hub, which centralises youth engagement programmes under one roof. Since opening, the hub has hosted several events, including a youth movie night and Salhi Fest 2025, held earlier this month.