Education and Science, Lithuania, Port

The theme of this year's competition was Write Someone a Letter Explaining why Water is a Precious Resource. A thirteen-year-old Gabija Petrauskaite in her letter to her godmother wrote about both the music of rain drops, and difficulties that are faced by people suffering from the shortage of water. Being a resident of the seaside town, Gabija was very glad about high assessment of her work, reported LETA/ELTA.

"The topic Why Water Is a Precious Resource was very close to me as I live in Sventoji situated at the Baltic Sea. In my letter I wanted to draw the people's attention to the Baltic Sea endangered by pollution as I wish the water to be loved and treasured with greater commitment," Gabija Petrauskaite said.

The first place was given to a fifteen-year-old Daniel Korcak from the Czech Republic for his letter to the Oder River flowing through the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany. The second place was given to a fourteen-year-old Nazifa Farhat Hye from Bangladesh who described the water as even more precious than diamonds.

As estimated, 1.5 million young people from 60 countries participated in this 42nd letter-writing contest. In the national tour, more than one hundred schools submitted 120 works for the contest.

The contest was launched in 1971. It is annually held by the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union together with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The organizers of the national tour in Lithuania are Lithuania Post together with the Lithuanian Centre of Non-formal Youth Education. The contest is sponsored by the Ministries of Transport and Communications and Education and Science.