Winners of 53rd UPU letter-writing contest announced
A ceremony was held in the northern province of Ninh Binh on May 17 to announce and honour the winners of the 53rd Universal Postal Union (UPU) letter-writing competition for young people.
Nguyen Do Quang Minh, a 9th grader in the central city of Da Nang, won the first prize of the competition, surpassing 1.5 million entries with his letter about children who lack love and need a place to express their feelings.
In 2024, participants were encouraged to reflect on the future of the world under the theme: "At 150 years old, the UPU has served people around the world for more than eight generations. The world has changed enormously since then. Write a letter to future generations about the world you hope they inherit."
In his writing, Minh called himself Pullattie, an employee working at the post office in Santa Claus' village, directly reading letters sent by children around the world.
Addressed to the UPU General Director in 2174, Minh expressed his hope that in the next 150 years when electric emails and other advanced means of communication become popular, postal services will still be provided for free for children to write letters to the Santa Claus.
He also wished that there would be more Santa Claus schools so that people can learn how to bring happiness to children.
Besides Minh's first prize, the organisers also handed over three second prizes, five third prizes, 30 consolation prizes, 61 promising writer prizes, and 12 prizes for candidates with disabilities.
On this occasion, the first and second-prize winners were awarded the creative youth insignia of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) Central Committee.
At the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Bui Hoang Phuong said that, for years, the editions of the UPU letter-writing competition have raised issues of concern with the public and parts of the United Nations’ agenda.
Over the last 30 years, many Vietnamese students have won high positions in the competitions, he said, adding that the UPU appreciates Vietnam’s participation in the competitions.
