The Department of Information and Communications of Hanoi is coordinating with the Department of Education and Training, Hanoi City Youth Union, and Hanoi Post Office to organize the 2021 Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Letter Writing Contest for local pupils.

The 2021 UPU International Letter Writing Contest for local pupils, the 50^th of its kind, is underway since December 1 with the theme "Writing to a family member about your experience of the COVID-19 pandemic", inviting youth to express their opinions on how they feel about things happened around them.

The eligible contestants are under 15-year-old pupils in Hanoi. Their submissions would be sent to Young Pioneers and Children Newspaper, which is located at No. 5, Hoa Ma street, Pham Dinh Ho ward, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi.

Submission to the contest that began on December 1, 2020 and will last until February 28, 2021, must be handwritten and not exceed 800 words. They should also be sent through the Vietnam Post mail system in a stamped envelope to the Young Pioneers and Children Newspaper.

Every year, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) launches the UPU International Letter Writing Contest encouraging young writers aged 9-15 to write letters on a given theme to win exciting prizes. The competition is an excellent way to develop writing skills among youth and boost up their ability to express thoughts clearly about the social problem they might concern. It also aims at fostering and nurturing the young generation's awareness and responsibilities towards society, their nation as well as the whole world.

The competition is an excellent way of raising young people awareness of the important role of postal services; fostering the enjoyment of letter writing; and helping strengthen the bonds of international friendship.