In 2025, the UPU international letter writing competition has the theme: “Imagine you are the ocean. Write a letter to someone explaining why and how they should take good care of you”. In English: “Imagine you are the ocean. Write a letter to someone explaining why and how they should take good care of you”.

Below is a sample letter writing for the 54th UPU:

Dear students!

I am the ocean. I write these lines to you because you are the generation that will master the future. Changing your thinking and awareness will lead to changes in your actions. That urges me to share my thoughts and feelings with you – the students, the masters of the country in the not too distant future.

You know, everyone has their own fears. Some people are afraid of heights, some are afraid of the dark, some are afraid of communication… As for me, my biggest fear is trash.

Human life has always been closely linked to the natural environment, in which the sea and ocean cover more than 2/3 of the surface, containing more than 95% of the water on Earth. I have brought you a huge source of economic, tourism, life benefits... I also play an extremely important role in the human living environment.

However, the burning issue that many countries are concerned about is plastic waste and the unsustainable exploitation and use of natural resources, including Vietnam.

Vietnam is considered a leading country in single-use plastics (creating huge amounts of waste) and that waste is carried by wind and water into the ocean. The decomposition process also creates microplastics, which can penetrate living organisms and cause many incurable diseases.

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Image of hundreds of tons of garbage washed up on Nha Trang beach in December 2024. Photo: Xuan Ngoc

According to the Institute of Marine and Island Research, plastic waste accounts for 50-80% of marine waste. Vietnam ranks fourth in the world in the amount of waste discharged into the sea, with 0.28-0.73 million tons/year (equivalent to 6% of the world's total plastic waste discharged into the sea).

Due to the characteristics of Vietnam's sea, which has seasonal ocean currents and is one of the busiest shipping areas in the world, Vietnam's seas are often littered with waste and pollution. In addition, with the development of the socio-economy, more and more untreated waste is discharged into the sea from river basins and coastal areas.

The World Bank conducted a detailed study in 2015 on plastic waste in Vietnam. The study showed that Vietnam's Clean Coast Index (CCI) was at 71% (100% being the dirtiest), which means that our country's coastline is very dirty.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, each year in Vietnam, about 1.8 million tons of plastic waste are discharged into the environment, of which 0.28 - 0.73 million tons are discharged into the sea, but only 27% of this is recycled and utilized by facilities and businesses.

This threatens the marine ecosystem and seafood resources, thereby affecting the livelihoods of millions of Vietnamese fishermen.

Dear friends, reducing ocean plastic waste is a long-term story that requires the participation and attention of the whole society. The most important thing is still the awareness of each individual, first of all of you - the new generation of the country. We need to propagate so that people understand the harmful effects of plastic waste on the environment, society, and future generations; from there, they will realize and see for themselves the need to protect the environment for themselves.

The first thing you and everyone can do is stop littering the sea, fishermen are encouraged to “bring trash to shore”. The activity of collecting trash from the sea to shore must be widely promoted locally. Accordingly, coastal communes and wards must have awareness, determination and commitment to participate in plastic waste management.

Besides, we also need to research alternative solutions, such as environmentally friendly alternative materials.

In order to strengthen the management of plastic waste pollution for the goal of sustainable development of the marine economy in Vietnam, we need to promote scientific research on plastic waste in general, plastic waste pollution, especially product life cycle assessment, the risk of microplastic pollution in environmental components and goods. In addition, we aim to deploy a circular economy model, implement extended producer responsibility (EPR) for products and packaging containing plastic, prevent plastic pollution on land, in rivers and at sea...

In particular, I want you to share images of useful activities such as garbage collection, garbage treatment... widely on social networks, newspapers... so that the fear of garbage no longer exists in me, so that the ocean becomes clean. You know, protecting me is protecting your living environment.

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Notes on the 54th UPU Letter Writing Competition Not to Be Missed

Notes on the 54th UPU Letter Writing Competition Not to Be Missed

The 54th UPU International Letter Writing Competition 2025 has officially launched. This is a useful playground for students, helping them practice writing skills, develop creative thinking and raise awareness of global issues.
Instructions on how to write and send the 54th UPU letter according to regulations

Instructions on how to write and send the 54th UPU letter according to regulations

The 54th UPU Letter Writing Competition 2025 has just been launched, with the theme “Imagine you are the ocean. Write a letter to someone, explaining why and how they should take good care of you and protect you”.
Poet Tran Dang Khoa: The 54th UPU competition theme is the best in the past 10 years

Poet Tran Dang Khoa: The 54th UPU competition theme is the best in the past 10 years

At the launching ceremony of the 2025 UPU international letter-writing competition, poet Tran Dang Khoa shared that, for him, this year's competition theme is the best in the past 10 years.