diff --git a/database/conference.go b/database/conference.go
index 07a9161..3ee8056 100644
--- a/database/conference.go
+++ b/database/conference.go
@@ -302,6 +302,16 @@ func (c *Conference) TouchPost(ctx context.Context, tx *sqlx.Tx, u *User, lastPo
 	return cs, nil
 }
 
+// UnreadMessages returns the total number of unread messages in a conference for a user.
+func (c *Conference) UnreadMessages(ctx context.Context, u *User) (int32, error) {
+	row := amdb.QueryRowContext(ctx, `SELECT SUM(t.top_message - IFNULL(s.last_message,-1))
+		FROM topics t LEFT JOIN topicsettings s ON t.topicid = s.topicid AND s.uid = ?
+		WHERE t.confid = ? AND t.archived = 0 AND (s.hidden IS NULL OR s.hidden = 0)`, u.Uid, c.ConfId)
+	var rc int32
+	err := row.Scan(&rc)
+	return rc, err
+}
+
 /* AmGetConference returns a conference given its ID.
  * Parameters:
  *     ctx - Standard Go context value.
diff --git a/docs/MISSINGFUNCS.md b/docs/MISSINGFUNCS.md
index d7fdf2a..e42d904 100644
--- a/docs/MISSINGFUNCS.md
+++ b/docs/MISSINGFUNCS.md
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
   - Post Publish
 - Manage Communities on communities sidebox
 - ~~Conference Hotlist sidebox~~
-- "New" flag on Conference Hotlist sidebox
+- ~~"New" flag on Conference Hotlist sidebox~~
 - Manage on Conference Hotlist sidebox
 - Sidebox configuration
 - Topics view:
diff --git a/top.go b/top.go
index 36ce6aa..8bf4823 100644
--- a/top.go
+++ b/top.go
@@ -133,13 +133,20 @@ func buildFeaturedConferences(ctxt ui.AmContext, uid int32, out *RenderedSidebox
 				lk := fmt.Sprintf("/comm/%s/conf/%s", comm.Alias, alias[0])
 				out.Items[i].Link = &lk
 				out.Items[i].Flags = make(map[string]bool)
-				// TODO: add "New" indicator
+				out.Items[i].Flags["new"] = false
+				if !user.IsAnon {
+					nnew, err := conf.UnreadMessages(ctxt.Ctx(), user)
+					if err == nil {
+						out.Items[i].Flags["new"] = (nnew > 0)
+					}
+				}
 			}
 			out.Flags = make(map[string]bool)
 			out.Flags["canManage"] = !(user.IsAnon)
 			out.TemplateName = "sb_ftrconf.jet"
 		}
 	}
+	_ = in
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/ui/views/sb_ftrconf.jet b/ui/views/sb_ftrconf.jet
index 02b1b4b..e325606 100644
--- a/ui/views/sb_ftrconf.jet
+++ b/ui/views/sb_ftrconf.jet
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
                             <a href="{{ item.Link }}" class="text-blue-700 hover:text-blue-900 font-bold">{{ item.Text }}</a>
                             <span class="text-black"> ({{ item.Text2 }})</span>
                         </div>
+                        {{ if item.Flags["new"] }}<span class="ml-1" title="There are new messages in this conference">🔔</span>{{ end }}
                     </div>
                 {{ end }}
             {{ else }}