Santa Claus-themed letter wins national UPU contest
A letter about Santa Claus written by an eighth grader in Hai Duong province has won the first prize of the 47th International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People in Vietnam.
Nguyen Thi Bach Duong (centre), an eighth grader at the Nguyen Trai Junior High School in Hai Duong province, is presented with the first prize of the contest (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – A letter about Santa Claus written byan eighth grader in Hai Duong province has won the first prize of the 47thInternational Letter-Writing Competition for Young People in Vietnam.
Nguyen Thi Bach Duong, an eighth grader at theNguyen Trai Junior High School in Nam Sach district, Hai Duong province, wonthe top prize of the contest, which was launched globally by the UniversalPostal Union (UPU).
The Corporation of Vietnam Post Office (VietnamPost) and the Thieu nien Tien phong newspaper held a ceremony in Hanoi on May11 to present prizes to the winners.
This year’s contest is themed "Imagine youare a letter travelling through time. What message do you wish to convey toyour readers?"
In her letter, Duong imagined herself to be areal letter which was written by an editor of The Sun newspaper of the US in1987 to reply to the question “Is there a Santa Claus?” asked by aneight-year-old reader.
With a natural, pure and humane writing style,the letter combined messages calling for love and respect for children alongwith attention to disadvantaged and unprotected children. It makes readersthink about a world free of wars, violence, poverty and injustice.
This letter has been translated into French andEnglish to be sent to the UPU, based in Switzerland, to take part in theinternational competition.
The contest in Vietnam from October 2017 toMarch 2018 attracted more than 1 million entries from nationwide. The judgesawarded one first prize, three second prizes, five third prizes and 30consolation prizes to the best entries.
Sixty-one sub-prizes were also presented toencourage promising letter writers and four others were granted to the youngestparticipant and those with disabilities.
Vietnam became a member of the UPU in 1976 andhas taken part in the UPU letter writing contest since 1987. Vietnamesestudents won prizes at the international competition for 13 times, includingtwo first prizes, one second prize, three third prizes, and seven consolationprizes.-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.
A ceremony took place in northern Quang Ninh province on October 9 to celebrate the 30th year Vietnam has attended the International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People UPU and the World Post Day.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
Nguyen Thi Bach Duong (centre), an eighth grader at the Nguyen Trai Junior High School in Hai Duong province, is presented with the first prize of the contest (Photo: VNA) 
