Vietnam awards prizes at the 2026 UPU International Letter Writing Competition

With the theme: “Write a letter to a friend about why human connection matters in a digital world”, the competition directly reflected a topical issue, requiring students to reconsider the role of human relationships and, consequently, to guide ways to preserve and develop the values ​​of connection in the digital environment.

In Vietnam, the competition is chaired by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST), in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Vietnam Writers Association, the Vietnam Post Corporation, and the Youth Pioneer and Children's Newspaper, and is organized and implemented nationwide.

The competition in Vietnam was launched on 19 December 2025 in Hanoi and implemented nationwide until 5 March 2026. During its duration, the competition attracted over 1.3 million entries from students in provinces and cities across the country. This result reflects the widespread impact of the competition within the education system and demonstrates the increasing interest of students in social and global issues.

The first prize in the 55th UPU International Letter Writing Competition in Vietnam went to Tran Chi Cuong, a 9th-grade student from Binh Han Secondary School, Thanh Dong Ward, Hai Phong City. His letter impressed the judging panel by telling the story of the robot Buddy (supporting autistic children) and the robot Jibo (caring for the elderly) in the context of increasingly busy family members having less time for each other.

Robots are gradually becoming a familiar part of life, and through interaction with humans, they not only provide support but also develop empathy for human emotions. Therefore, the letter conveys the message that technology does not replace human relationships, but reminds us that behind every device, every screen, there is always a human being who needs to be listened to and understood.

Speaking at the Ceremony, Deputy Minister of MST Pham Duc Long - Head of the Organizing Committee of the Competition, highly appreciated the enthusiastic participation of students from all over the country, as well as the interest of the younger generation in the shifting habits of connection in the digital age.

“The most valuable aspect of the more than 1.3 million entries this year is not just the creativity, but the fact that the students have retained their empathy, kindness, and compassion in an increasingly digitized world,” Deputy Minister Pham Duc Long emphasized.

The Deputy Minister hoped that today's letters would not only be a competition, but would become seeds of kindness, love, and responsibility to the community; thereby contributing to building a modern digital society that is still rich in humanity; a country that develops strongly through science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, but always places people at the center of all development.

Regarding the quality of the entries, the judging panel noted that this year's theme was appropriate for the generation of students growing up in a rapidly developing technological environment. The essays demonstrated keen insight into the issue and diversity in the way ideas were expressed.

The recipients of the letters were diverse, ranging from friends and relatives to literary figures and technological entities such as virtual assistants. Many articles deeply explored the relationship between humans and technology, notably stories about robots designed to care for humans, highlighting the value of empathy and connection between people.

In addition to the First Prize, the Organizing Committee also awarded 10 group prizes and 109 individual prizes, including 3 Second Prizes, 5 Third Prizes, 30 Consolation Prizes, 61 Promising Writer Awards, and 10 Inspirational Idea Awards.