¶¶ÒõÊÓƵ

Their innovation, "MIL Point," a media literacy campaign built on an application and game, was selected from 1,286 proposals submitted from 138 countries. The Indonesian team was one of four grand winners, alongside teams from Argentina, Cameroon, and Vietnam, competing under the theme "Minds Over AI."

MIL Point: An Educative Solution to Combat Misinformation

MIL Point is designed as a creative solution to fight rampant misinformation. The project has two main pillars: offline and online. Offline, the team introduces a "mobile campaign box" (MIL Box) in public spaces to educate the public directly.

"Inside the MIL Box, visitors can test their ability to distinguish hoaxes, read verified facts, and are encouraged to spread correct information," said MIL Point Project Lead, Wynneth Artdelyn Jees (ITB Interior Design 2022).

This offline activity connects to the "MIL Point" mobile app, which features a Verified News Feed, "Prebunk" Games (to practice fact-checking), a Debate Point (for open discussion), and a reward system to maintain user engagement.

"By combining interactive offline activities and digital learning, MIL Point aims to create a fun, inclusive ecosystem that encourages critical thinking and responsible media behavior," Wynneth added.

An Idea Born from Public Transit

Behind this complex project was an intensive two-week hackathon process involving research, brainstorming, and prototyping. The initial idea, however, emerged from a simple observation in daily life.

"The idea came to me while I was on public transport," revealed Vinnidhiaty Gradelyn Jees (ITB Visual Communication Design 2018). "I saw many people busy watching viral videos or reading news, but perhaps unknowingly consuming or spreading misinformation. It made me think, how can we spread correct information to people faster than hoaxes spread?"

Overcoming Self-Doubt on the Path to the World Stage

The team's journey did not happen overnight. The biggest challenge came from within: a sense of doubt about competing on a global stage.

"There was this feeling of disbelief, like, 'how could we possibly compete with thousands of participants from hundreds of countries?' That feeling was hard to fight," the team admitted. "But we learned not to limit ourselves."

They also faced the challenge of designing an idea that could answer a complex global problem yet be executed simply. "We wanted to show that simplicity can be a strength," they added.

For the team, this achievement proves the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. "From different backgrounds, we united to create something that could bring the name of Indonesia and ITB to the United Nations stage. This isn't just about a competition; it's about our contribution to the world."

Global Recognition and Next Steps

The award ceremony was held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, as part of the Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week 2025. The representatives present in Colombia were Wynneth Artdelyn Jees (Interior Design 2022), Jesseline Carolee Sabas (Interior Design 2022), Vinnidhiaty Gradelyn Jees (Visual Communication Design 2018), and Jonathan Emmanuel Saragih (Informatics 2022).

They presented the MIL Point project before receiving the award directly from Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information.

Following the competition, the project has received support from Radyalabs and Paragon, which are providing technical guidance. The first MIL Point Box is targeted for launch before the end of 2025 in Jakarta and Bandung.

The complete MIL Point team also includes key contributing members Guntur Oktavianto Nugroho (ITB Information Systems and Technology 2022) and Bagas Putra Kalih (Telkom University Student 2022).

The MIL Point team emphasized that their victory was born from creativity, a deep understanding of the problem, and the wise use of technology. They also shared a powerful message for other students.

"Don't be afraid to fail. We also failed many times before reaching this point. Every failure is not the end, but part of the journey. Use up your quota of failures while you're young, because every fall will make you more prepared when a big opportunity comes," they advised.

"Nothing is impossible. Someday, your hard work will be recognized, perhaps even internationally. Keep striving, stay humble, and never hesitate to learn from anyone."

Congratulations to the MIL Point Team! May this achievement inspire all Indonesian students to continue innovating and making a real impact on global society.

Reporter: Chysara Rabani (Mining Engineering, 2022)