48th international epistolary essay contest winners determined

For 48 years, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) together with the postal administrations of member countries of the organization has been holding epistolary essay contest (writing in the form of a letter) among schoolchildren.
 
The winners of the next essay contest, kicked off in Azerbaijan in February this year, organized jointly by Azerpost LLC of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies and the Ministry of Education, have been determined.
 
A total of 20 722 essays were submitted for the contest and 20 people became winners.
 
The awards ceremony took place today with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, Azerpost LLC and Ministry of Education.
 
The winners received the following cash prizes: 1st place – 2 people, each AZN 200 (1 person for each topic); 2nd place – 4 people, each AZN 150 (2 people for each topic); 3rd place – 6 people, each AZN 100 (3 people for each topic); Consolation prize – 8 people, each AZN 80 (4 people for each topic). They were also awarded honorary certificates and gifts.
 
Before the awards ceremony schoolchildren, their parents and teachers made an excursion to the central office of Azerpost LLC and “Shebeke” service center.
 
Note that the following topics were presented for this year’s contest: “Write a letter about your hero” (for pupils under 15) and “I’m proud of being Azerbaijani”. The first topic was proposed by the UPU, the second –  by Azerpost LLC.
 
Azerpost LLC has proposed this topic in connection with the 50th anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev’s first coming to power in Azerbaijan, which will be celebrated in 2019.
 
The winner on the first topic was Dadashova Leyla Elnur qizi, the pupil of the 8th grade of educational complex number 132-134 in Baku city, the second – Ashurov Huseyn Hikmet oglu, the pupil of the 11th grade of lyceum school number 2 named after Allahverdiyev in Gakh region.
 
It should be noted that the essay of Dadashova Leyla Elnur gizi, who won the nomination for the topic proposed by the UPU, was sent to the UPU headquarters in Bern, Switzerland on behalf of the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to the conditions of the contest, the essays from the UPU member countries are submitted to the jury, formed by UNESCO. As a result, 3 main winners and 5 laureates are determined.
 
Winners are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, and laureates – special prizes. The winner of the gold medal is invited to Bern to receive the prize from the UPU International Bureau.
 
The names of holders of silver and bronze medals along with the best essays are published in the journal “Postal Union”.
 
By providing comprehensive coverage of this event in the press, the International Bureau draws public attention to the countries represented by laureates.
 
The awards ceremony takes place on the World Post Day, which is celebrated every year on October 9.
 
It is to be recalled that Azerpost LLC has been a member of the UPU since 1993.