Belarusian student takes top honours in the UPU's 53rd International Letter-Writing Competition

Berne, 9 October 2024 – Aliaksandr Piatrou, a 15-year-old boy from Belarus, has won first place in the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) 53rd International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People, a contest that drew entries from over 1.6 million participants across 50 countries. 

This year’s theme – inspired by the UPU’s 150th anniversary and the first-ever UN Summit of the Future, which took place this September – asked children to “Write a letter to future generations about the world you hope they inherit.” The competition was held in collaboration with UNICEF and UNESCO.

“As we mark our 150^th year today, it is important not only to reflect on the past, but to imagine the future we strive to build for ourselves and the generations that will follow us. This year’s competition gave us the privilege to learn more about the next generation’s hopes, dreams and ideas for a more prosperous future,” said UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki.

Aliaksandr will receive his prize today in Berne, Switzerland, during an awards ceremony at the UPU headquarters. His letter envisions a future defined by peace, harmony, and mutual understanding among all peoples, emphasizing the importance of compassion and communication to achieve these goals.

The silver medal is awarded jointly to Cheng Zihan,11, from China and Nayra Novelia Kusuma, 14, from Indonesia, with Cheng’s letter calling for urgent action on climate change and Nayra’s letter advocating for the preservation of reading and knowledge in a world increasingly dominated by technology.

Valeria Scartsella, 14, from Cyprus took the bronze medal for her letter, which imagines a world free from war, violence, and inequality, uplifted by advances in technology and education.

Special mentions were given to five young writers for their outstanding submissions:
 

• Hugo Fernandes Pereira from Brazil
• Ida Budimir from Croatia
• Daniela Chlebovcová from Slovakia
• Ceren Yilmaz from Türkiye
• Lennah Mandala from Zimbabwe

International jury

The submissions were evaluated and the top letters selected by an international judging panel, which included:
 

• June Kunugi, Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF
• Rawan Elbendary, UNICEF Youth Foresight Fellow, Egypt
• Min Jeong Kim, Director of the Division for Education 2030, UNESCO
• Édouard Dayan, Former Director General of the UPU International Bureau (2005–2012) and Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour, France

Speaking about the competition on behalf of UNICEF, Kunugi said, “It’s a wonderful opportunity to increase opportunities for children, particularly in disadvantaged communities and hard-to-reach communities. It’s also a feedback loop, because they will have their suggestions, they will reflect on realities in their homes and communities. It’s wonderful to have that opportunity for diverse parts of the global population to share their thoughts, their opinions, and their suggestions, including to policymakers.”

For UNESCO, Kim said, “Ensuring children’s voices are heard in international fora is vital for fostering inclusivity, innovative solutions, and a sustainable future. The UPU’s competition supports this by providing a global platform for young people to express their views, enhancing their literacy and creativity and empowering them to influence global agendas.”

2025 theme

The 54^th edition of the competition will ask young people aged 9-15 to submit letters on the theme, “Imagine you are the ocean. Write a letter to someone explaining why and how they should take good care of you.”

Read this year’s winning letters here: https://www.upu.int/en/universal-postal-union/outreach-campaigns/international-letterwriting-competition-for-young-people