UPU announces theme of next year’s International Letter-Writing Competition

Berne: “Write a letter to your hero” is the inspirational theme of the 2019 International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People organised by the Universal Postal Union (UPU). 

“I urge all UPU member countries, including those that have never participated, to seriously consider taking part. The competition is an excellent way of promoting literacy among young people and encouraging their creativity,” said UPU’s Director General Bishar A. Hussein.

Adopted at UPU’s 1969 Tokyo Congress and officially launched in 1971, the competition brings talented young people together from thousands of schools in dozens of countries.

The competition’s primary goal is to advance global literacy and education among young people. It is closely bound to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development under Goal 4, which seeks to achieve an inclusive and equitable education for all. 

Every year, UPU announces a theme. Participating countries then organise the competition at the national level with support from their Posts, and often with the assistance of education authorities. 

Each country chooses a national winner and submits their entry to the global round held by UPU. An international jury, chosen by UPU, judges the letters and selects the winners and entries worthy of a special mention.

The theme of the 2018 competition is “Imagine you are a letter travelling through time. What message do you wish to convey to your readers?” Winners of the 2018 competition will be announced at an official ceremony held on World Post Day, 9 October, at the Universal Postal Union’s headquarters in Berne, Switzerland.   

UPU’s Manager of Communication and Events David Dadge said, “The goal of the competition is to inspire children, to encourage them to articulate a sense of their selves, and to foster a passion for the spoken word and its ability to communicate experiences.”