Her letter to the Secretary General of the United Nation expressing her concerns and inviting attention on the exploitation of natural resources bagged the first prize at the national-level letter-writing competition. Tenzin Dresen Wangmo, a Class VIII student of Druk School in Thimphu, wrote about the need to protect and prevent wastage of natural resources.

The competition is held every year where the Universal Postal Union (UPU) international bureau announces a theme and the participating countries organise letter-writing competition at national level, which is submitted through the national post system for international competition. Established in 1847, UPU ensures a true universal network of up-to-date products and services.

“Since my father and I share similar ideas on the natural resources. I thought this would be the best issue to be raised as we both love nature. It is disheartening to see nature being exploited for economical growth in the world,” said Tenzin Dresen Wangmo.

The topic for the 2017 international letter-writing competition was “Imagine you are an advisor to the new UN Secretary General, which world issue would you help him tackle first and how would you advise him to solve it.”

The Bhutan Post has sent Tenzin Dresen Wangmo’s letter as a nominee at 46th International Letter Writing competition.

The theme was chosen to celebrate the election of the new UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who will assume his officer this year. The letter competition is to encourage young people to speak their minds, to imagine and to express their views to help Secretary General set priorities as he carries his mandate.

A committee consisting of members from Bhutan Post, Department of Education, and Ministry of Information and communication judged the entries. Bhutan Post received 11 entries from three schools.

Bhutan Post’s corporate and international relation head, Tshering Chhokie, said this time the post had called the competition only from schools in Thimphu because of time constraints.

The winners were awarded cash prizes and stamp album each sponsored by the Bhutan Post.

Samara Chhetri from Etho Metho School came second and Lhajam Choden Tenzin from Jigme Losel Primary School third.

“We participate in the competition every year with aim to encourage young people in the art of writing letters as a mode of communication, which has now disappeared,” Tshering Chhokie said. “We’re trying to revive the letter-writing to express their thoughts and ideas, which in today’s world is mostly done through social media where there is no personal touch.”

She added that Bhutan Post is also planning to help young the tradition of making pen pal and to encourage them to write to each other.

The international letter-writing competition was launched in 1971 where all the young people below 15 participate in the competition at the national and international levels.

The competition is aimed to encourage literacy among children and young people and to develop their skills in compositions and ability their to express their thoughts clearly.

The competition is also aimed at making children realise the importance the role of postal service the world.

Yangchen C Rinzin 

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