Thai youth bring synodality to life with 3-day social ‘hackathon’

By Nattha Nuchsuwan, LiCAS News

The event, held from July 12 to 14, 2024, aimed to engage young minds in addressing pressing societal challenges through the lens of the Synod on Synodality.

Peter Monthienvichienchai, executive director of LiCAS, said the aim of the event is to “raise awareness and further involve young people in the Synod.”

“More importantly, it is an opportunity for all of us to practice synodality, especially for adults, to show that we are really listening to these young people,” he said.

Participants, aged 13 and above, were invited to address one of the nine major issues identified during the continental leg of the Synod in Asia.

“I hope that from the hackathon you will understand the importance of truly listening,” Sister Nina said in her speech to the children on the final day of the presentation.

“And this listening may not only be part of the process, but also part of the solution. You all have a particular mission, a service to render in this world, and your mission is possible,” she added.

The hackathon began with a series of workshops where mentors from various sectors, including a leadership coach and an Indigenous community leader, shared their knowledge and experiences.

Dr. Santi Lapbenjakul, a mentor at the event, highlighted the potential of the participants. “I was very impressed by the children’s questions… I told them to come back to me in five or six years, when they are ministers, we will definitely talk about it again.”
The first day aimed to inspire students and provide them with the tools to turn their ideas into reality.

Father Paul Ekarat Homprathum, Secretary General of CECT, guided the participants, comparing ethical hacking to harmful hacking.

He said people know the hackers who steal from them, “the black hat hackers,” but there are also white hat hackers who help make things better.

“Today we wear the white hat for a better society by practicing synodality and listening to those in need,” he said.

The intense “hacking” phase took place on the second day, with students spending eight hours refining their solutions, aided by coaches who helped them prepare their pitches.

The hackathon allowed students to dive into their projects. Teams worked with on-site pitch coaches to refine their pitches.

The team from Sainte-Emilie School, Ubon Rachathani, whose team was made up of children as young as 13, addressed teenage pregnancy during their pitch on the last day of the hackathon.

“We see the problems around us, around our friends, and the problem we want to solve is teenage pregnancy,” the team said.

Songkhla, Saengthong Vitthaya School team has proposed turning corn husks into air filters to help those who cannot afford expensive air filters and hospital bills amid worsening air pollution.

“Instead of being the cause of air pollution, corn husks can become the solution,” the team said.

The event ended with the final pitching session, during which four pitches received funding to carry out their projects.

Organizers stressed that this funding represents both a burden and a responsibility that has now been entrusted to the beneficiaries, recognizing that their voices have been heard.

Organizers said the hackathon not only provided a platform for students to demonstrate their potential to contribute meaningfully to societal issues, but also to apply synodality in practical ways.

Among the distinguished guests on the final day were Archbishop Anthony Weradet Chaiseri of the Archdiocese of Tha Rae, Sister Pensri Horae, Provincial Prioress of the Ursuline Provincialate of Thailand, and Sumitra Phongsathorn, former Principal of Mater Dei School.

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