Vietnam launches UPU international letter writing competition 2024

Useful playground for high school students

On January 5, the launching ceremony of the 53rd UPU International Letter Writing Competition - 2024 and the awarding ceremony of the 3rd prize of the 52nd UPU International Letter Writing Competition - 2023 took place at Nguyen Binh Khiem Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Vo Nhai District, Thai Nguyen Province.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Vietnam Writers Association, Vietnam Post Corporation and the Tien Phong & Nhi Dong Newspaper.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Ms. Tran Thanh Ha, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Information and Communications), Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of the contest, emphasized that the UPU letter writing contest has been a useful and meaningful playground for students over the years because it not only helps them develop their writing skills; enriches their sophistication in thinking and contributes to strengthening friendship between nations, but is also an opportunity for them to understand more about the role of postal services in social life.

“The annual UPU International Letter Writing Competition has become a highly social and educational activity that has fostered and nurtured the young generation’s feelings and responsibilities towards social and national issues and concerns of their own age,” said Ms. Tran Thanh Ha.

Sharing at the launching ceremony, Ta Ngoc Vy, a 9C student at Nguyen Binh Khiem Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, said that in addition to expressing her thoughts on issues of interest to her, participating in the UPU letter writing contest, she and other students from all over the country and around the world also have the opportunity to exchange and chat.

Announcing the theme of the 53rd UPU letter writing competition

In the 36th UPU international letter-writing competition held in Vietnam, the theme of the competition is associated with the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union: “In the past 150 years, the Universal Postal Union has served more than 8 generations of people around the world. Since then, the world has changed a lot. Write a letter to future generations to talk about the world you hope they will inherit.”

According to the representative of the Jury, this year's theme contains a lot of data that students need to pay attention to and learn: 150 years of the Postal Service's steadfast and dedicated journey serving 8 generations of people accompanying the changes of the world. Through that, students will gain more understanding of the UPU and honor the mission of serving people and the valuable connection of the Universal Postal Union with the development of humanity.

The 53rd UPU Letter Writing Competition is also an opportunity for young people to express their thoughts on the world we live in, the global challenges we face, and to propose solutions for change. This is at the heart of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – ​​a beautiful agenda that aims to strengthen the connection between generations and ensure a livable planet now and in the future. The agenda was adopted by all UN member states in 2015.

Representing the Organizing Committee and the Jury of the contest, announcing the rules and technical instructions for writing a letter in accordance with the rules, journalist Do Thi Thanh Binh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Young Pioneers and Children Newspaper, informed: The contestants continue to be Vietnamese students from 9 to 15 years old, as of the time of sending the letter to the contest.

The contest letter is a creative product of the individual student, written in prose form on the theme of the contest (not yet published in newspapers or books), no longer than 800 words. The contest entry must be put in a stamped envelope, clearly stating the sender's address, and sent to the address of the Young Pioneer and Children Newspaper via the postal system of Vietnam Post Corporation - Vietnam Post from January 5, 2024 to March 15, 2024.

The judges especially noted that a letter participating in the UPU International Letter Writing Competition is not an ordinary letter, but a literary letter, a letter with creativity and emotion to make a difference. “You are the author of the letter, so you must be proactive in presenting your thoughts and feelings and try to express the problem in the most convincing way. The winning entries are often letters that touch the reader’s heart not only by the idea and structure but also by the sincere emotions expressed by the writer,” said the representative of the contest’s jury.

Along with the launch of the 53rd UPU letter writing competition, the Organizing Committee also awarded the international third prize to Dao Khuong Duy, a student of class 6/1 (school year 2022-2023), Huynh Tan Phat Secondary School, Binh Dai district, Ben Tre province.

This is the 18th time Vietnamese students have won an international award after 35 years of participation. With his achievements in the 52nd UPU competition, student Dao Khuong Duy was also awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Ministry of Education and Training.

With soaring imagination, rich emotions and simple language, the superhero letter S-24/7 sent to his beloved parents on the planet Love-365 by a boy from Coconut land conquered the judges and won First Prize in Vietnam and Third Prize internationally.

A new feature of the UPU International Letter Writing Competition launching ceremony this time is the charity program “UPU continues to go to school” implemented by the Organizing Committee of the competition at Lich Son school, La Hien primary school, Thai Nguyen province. This is a school with a large number of ethnic minority students, poor households, and extremely difficult areas; the facilities and teaching and learning equipment have degraded.

Through the program, with the support of Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund, Vietnam Post, Postal Insurance and Ovaltine Vietnam brand, the Organizing Committee of the contest presented 190 warm coats, 20 warm blankets, 800 boxes of milk and 20 scholarships to 20 ethnic minority students with especially difficult circumstances.