Saudi’s CyberKids and Huawei launch hackathon to encourage digital literacy

The Cybersecurity for Children Association (CyberKids) has announced a collaboration with Huawei—a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices—to launch a first of its kind “hackathon” event aimed at promoting digital literacy and cyber protection amongst Saudi’s young people. 

The free online hackathon is open to Saudi’s young people participants between the ages of 8 to 16 from across the Kingdom and will run for 72 hours starting July 15. The event includes working groups of 5-6 members who will review areas like creative thinking, digital innovation, and programming, all while maintaining best practices in data and cybersecurity protection. 

The three-day Hackathon starts with trainings and workshops that aim to provide children with the required skills to actively contribute in cybersecurity solutions. The second day includes practical participation and submitting solutions for several challenges, where guidance is provided for the participating teams. The third and last day comprises revealing the outcome and presenting the solution to the judging committee, followed by announcing the winners and adopting their ideas by the Association. Full details can be found on the CyberKids website.   

The hackathon is inspired by an initiative launched earlier this year at the Global Cybersecurity Forum held in Riyadh to create safe online spaces for children that provide access to information but minimize bullying and other online attacks. The initiative has been endorsed by senior government leaders and encourages active contributions to protecting future generations as they spend more time online.

The latest hackathon follows earlier collaborations between CyberKids and Huawei, including a competition held earlier this summer during the holy month of Ramadan to review digital standards while also supporting remote learning. 

Sultan Alghamdi, Founder of CyberKids, said: “We have been looking at ways to bring people together even at a time of physical distancing, and are pleased to team up again with a global technology expert like Huawei to bring the very latest knowledge on digital issues to Saudi communities via this virtual hackathon.”

Terry He, CEO of Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia, noted: “Saudi Arabia’s leadership has recognized the value of digital transformation and also the importance of educating young people on how to safely succeed in a connected world. Working with local partners like CyberKids on this hackathon event is a great way for us to help support that national agenda while doing so in an engaging, creative way for Saudi communities.”