Imagining herself as the three-year-old Syrian boy who was drowned off the coast of Turkey, NguyenThi Thu Trang wrote a letter from the child to himself when he reaches the age of 45.
Nguyen Thi Thu Trang won first prize in the 2016 International Letter Writing Competition for Young People held by Universal Postal Union (UPU).(Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Imagining herself as the three-year-old Syrian boy who was drowned off the coast of Turkey, NguyenThi Thu Trang wrote a letter from the child to himself when he reaches the age of 45.
The letter won the first prize in the 2016 International Letter Writing Competition for Young People held by the Universal Postal Union (UPU).
In her letter, Trang played the role of the late AylanKurdi - the drowned Syrian child washed up on a beach in Bodrum, Turkey while trying to reach the Greek island of Kos earlier this year, as seen in the world-shaking photo on the tragedy of wars, conflicts and illegal immigration into Europe.
Her letter, which “was written from heaven” about a world without violence or discrimination, won the first prize in the contest at the national level in May in Vietnam.
It was translated into French and English to be sent to the organising board of the 45th UPU International Letter Writing Contest based in Switzerland for the international round. Trang is a student in Nam Sach High School in the northern province of Hai Dương.
She is the second Vietnamese to become the contest’s first prize winner. The first was Ho Thi Hieu Hien, a student from the central city of Da Nang, who won the competition in 2010.
Trang is preparing to go to the award ceremony held in Turkey on October 1.The annual International Letter Writing Competition for Young People has been run at the national and international levels since 1971, drawing millions of young people up to the age of 15 from all over the world.
The theme selected for the 2016 competition was: "Write a letter to your 45-year-old self."
Children around the world are warmly encouraged to give flight to their imagination while writing a letter to themselves in the future. “Our view of the world tends to change as we grow older, with the risk that the older person forgets or abandons the concerns and dreams of their younger self. The past becomes another country whose language we no longer speak,” as written on the website of the UPU.
Young people and children under 15 make up a quarter of the world’s population, yet their voices are seldom heard. Perhaps this is because the 45-year-olds do not realise what important things they themselves once understood and how much of value young people have to say.
In this year’s competition, young writers are given the opportunity to reach across their own generation divide into the future. An important message can be sent before the language of you🌊th is los🌼t.-VNA
Truong Hai Nam, an eighth grader from Le Huu Lap secondary school in central Thanh Hoa province, won the 44th Universal Postal Union (UPU)’s International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People in Vietnam.
The Ministry of Information and Communications launched the 45th Universal Postal Union (UPU) national letter writing contest at the Tran Dang Ninh secondary school in Nam Dinh city.
Ninth grader Nguyen Thi Thu Trang won the annual Universal Postal Union (UPU) letter-writing contest in Vietnam, Ha Noi Moi newspaper reported on May 4.
One hundred winners of the 45th Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Letter Writing Contest in Vietnam were honoured at a ceremony in the northern province of Vinh Phuc on May 20.
Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai highlighted the growing demand for Vietnamese workers in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka, Oita, and Saga prefectures. Currently, the region employs about 35,000 Vietnamese manual workers and over 5,000 IT engineers.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
Nguyen Thi Thu Trang won first prize in the 2016 International Letter Writing Competition for Young People held by Universal Postal Union (UPU).(Photo: VNA)
