Thao was the first Vietnamese to win the prize since Vietnam joined the UPU’s writing contest 20 years ago. In his letter to Mr Triet, Thao addressed the question why improved working conditions could bring about a better life with his succinct, coherent and persuasive argument.

Addressing the awards ceremony in Hanoi, Mr Triet praised the Ministry of Information and Communications for offering young people the opportunity to present their ideas on critical global issues.

He said Thao’s essay has pushed the issues of labour protection and work safety which had long been left neglected by adults in Vietnam. Thao also called on the government to take action to better protect workers and avoid work-related accidents.

President Triet called on more Vietnamese people to participate in the contest to show how much they care about their country’s development. The 39^th UPU contest which closes on February 15, 2010, focuses on AIDS and the importance of safer sex.

The same day, Mr Triet worked with leaders of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunication Group (VNPT). He urged the group to further cut costs and provide customers with better quality services through improved human resources training.