The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Việt Nam and MUFG Bank Ltd. on November 18 kick off the Youth Digital Citizen Challenge (YDCC) 2025 Hackathon – AI for Climate Action. — Photo courtesy of UNDP

HCM CITY — The Youth Digital Citizen Challenge (YDCC) 2025 Hackathon – AI for Climate Action is calling on young innovators across the country to develop AI-powered solutions that help bolster climate resilience in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Việt Nam and MUFG Bank Ltd. officially kicked off the YDCC 2025 Hackathon on November 18.

Organised in collaboration with the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), the initiative marks the transformation of YDCC from a digital literacy programme into a national platform that connects youth, technology and climate action.

Đỗ Lê Thu Ngọc, assistant resident representative of UNDP in Việt Nam, said: “We see youth not as beneficiaries, but as co-creators of solutions.”

The hackathon is expected to attract around 200 young participants.

In the coming months, teams will join training sessions on climate challenges, AI applications and innovation methods before taking part in a 36-hour national hackathon in January 2026 to design AI-based solutions for smart agriculture, water management and disaster preparedness.

“By supporting YDCC 2025, MUFG strengthens its partnership with Việt Nam in climate and digital innovation,” Kinoshita Shingo, managing director and head of MUFG Bank’s HCM City Branch, said.

Around 40-50 mentors and experts from technology and sustainability sectors, including MUFG staff, will provide coaching, while winning teams will receive further support from UNDP’s innovation networks.

As Việt Nam’s key agricultural region, the Mekong Delta faces rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion and extreme weather. The hackathon aims to promote cross-sector collaboration and harness digital innovation to strengthen resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

UNDP has supported Việt Nam since 1978, working with the Government to advance inclusive development, digital transformation and climate action.

MUFG Bank, part of one of the world’s leading financial groups, has operated in Việt Nam for more than a century, contributing to national economic development through its branches in Hà Nội and HCM City. — VNS