HCA NEWS International letter-writing competition

Hans Christian Andersen as an inspiration to the international letter-writing competition 2005.

By ms - H.C. Andersen 2005 - 21 September 2004

"Write a letter to your favourite fairytale character."

This is what young people all over the world are right now suggested to do. The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has invited young people in its 190 member countries to participate in the annual international letter-writing competition to become the "World champion of letter-writing 2005". Young people up to the age of 15 years can participate and all entries must be sent through a national postal administration.

The UPU is a United Nations specialised agency based in Berne (Switzerland), and is the primary forum for cooperation between the postal administrations of its 190 member countries.

"A letter to my favourite fairytale character" has been chosen as a common theme for the competition in 2005. It should be seen as a tribute to the world-famous Danish writer of fairy tales, Hans Christian Andersen, and coincides with the celebration of the bicentenary of the writer's birth in 2005.

Denmark, Hans Christian Andersen's home country, has a central place in the competition. Post Danmark has launched a special website: www.writealetter2005.com that provides inspiration and that features several of the writer's famous fairy tales - translated into eight different languages. In addition, young people may try to win the princess and half the kingdom by playing the two new Internet games "The Kissing Game" (with inspiration from The Swine Herd) and "The Clumsy Hans Game". However, they are free to choose whether the letter is to be written to one of the fairytale characters of Hans Christian Andersen or a completely different character.

Each country may enter only one letter - the winning letter in their national competition. The UPU, with the help of a UNESCO Jury, then selects the international winners (first, second and third) from the entries received. The world champion will be announced in Copenhagen in September 2005.

The prize that will be awarded to the world champion of letter-writing 2005 will also reflect the world of fairy tales. He or she will be awarded a journey to Copenhagen in Hans Christian Andersen's home country.

For more information: Susanne Krøgh Rasmussen, PR Coordinator, Post Danmark, tel. +45 33 75 41 24.


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