Mediathon

Mediathon is an intensive two-day format where young people work in teams to create media content in response to urgent topics such as disinformation, public health, propaganda, migration, and climate change. It combines elements of a hackathon, storytelling lab, and media workshop, and is open to students, journalists, content creators, designers, and activists.

Participants develop real content — podcasts, campaigns, zines, social media formats, or digital tools — and present them at the end of the sprint. The format promotes teamwork, media literacy, and critical thinking through practical collaboration.

One of the most notable editions took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, when school students created media campaigns to promote vaccination. These materials were later featured in major national media outlets and shared across cities in Latvia.

Mediathons have been held both online and in-person. In different years, speakers and mentors have included professionals like Toms Grēviņš, Marta Cerava, Zane Gargažina, and Evita Puriņa. Winning teams typically receive cash prizes or further development opportunities in national media.