A total of 842 students from across Syria took part Friday in the qualifying round of the 2025 Junior Hackathon, a nationwide competition designed to spark interest in programming and logical thinking among children and adolescents.
Organized by the Excellence and Creativity Commission in cooperation with the Lifelong Learning Center at the Syrian Virtual University, the hackathon is part of an ambitious digital development project aimed at nurturing the next generation of tech talent.
The qualifying tests were conducted simultaneously across the Syrian Virtual University access centers in multiple provinces. Each 75-minute session challenged participants with logic and programming questions, including exercises in both C++ scripting and Scratch graphical programming, as preparation for the final stage scheduled for October.
“The goal is to raise the general scientific level and strengthen analytical thinking skills for young learners by teaching them programming languages in a way that encourages innovation,” said Dania Qabbani, Director of the Syrian Science Olympiad at the Excellence and Creativity Commission on Friday.
“This marathon gives participants a real chance to discover their abilities, develop a spirit of self-improvement, and build confidence in problem-solving,” Qabbani added.
Participants ranged from 8 to 15 years old, covering grades 2 through 8. Many students said the hackathon was their first hands-on experience with coding and an opportunity to think creatively and work collaboratively.
“This is a fun way to learn, it’s different from regular classes and mixes challenge with teamwork,” said Marita Habib Ali, one of the young competitors.
The top scorers will advance to next month’s finals, where Syria’s most promising young coders will compete for top honors and a chance to showcase their projects as part of the country’s growing push toward digital literacy and innovation.
