Forty nine winners of the 42nd Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Letter Writing Contest in Vietnam were honoured at a ceremony in Hanoi in May 13.

The national contest themed “Write a letter about why water is precious” received 1,245,088 entries from under-15 children across the country between October 2012 and March 2013, said Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Hung.

Sixth grader Dao Thuy Thuy Duong from Tay Son Junior High School in Hai Chau district, the central city of Da Nang, won the first prize.

In the role of Thuy Tinh (the God of the Sea), Duong wrote a letter to Son Tinh (the God of the Mountain) talking about the importance of water and complained about humankind’s irresponsible treatment to the environment.

Her letter has been translated into French to be sent to the organising board of the 42nd UPU International Letter-Writing Contest based in Switzerland for the international round.

The 2013 competition theme was chosen in concordance with the Year being made the International Year of Water Cooperation.-VNA