May 25 - Anna Grech Wins Gibraltar Leg Of UN Letter Writing Competition
A Westside School student has won the Gibraltar leg of the United Nations’ Universal Postal Union (UPU) letter-writing competition. Anna Grech, 14, picked up the first prize which was selected from a record 197 entries from eight schools.
Anna Grech’s entry will now represent Gibraltar at the main competition in Berne, Switzerland.
The Minster for Postal Services, Neil Costa, presented the prizes at a ceremony held at the Mayor’s Parlour, City Hall, earlier today. Second place went to Sophie Macdonald and third prize to Dikra Laghrich.
The theme for 2016 was: “Write a letter to your 45-year-old-self”.
Organisers say the standard shown throughout the competiton was again very high, making the judges’ work very difficult indeed. They also awarded Certificates of Merit to the following entries:
The Royal Gibraltar Post Office has thanked all participants, encouraging them to try again next year if they were not successful on this occasion. Thanks also go to his Worship the Mayor, Adolfo Canepa, Dr Joey Britto, Education Director, the Department of Education, participating Schools and Vivien Dawson, Carol Brookes, Rosemarie Bruzon and Tony Wonklyn for their assistance throughout this venture. Also to Western Isles Ltd for sponsoring the trophy.
Pic: L to R: Minister Costa, prize winners Anna Grech, Sophie Macdonald, and David Ledger CEO RGPO). Dikra Laghrich did not attend the ceremony.
FIRST PRIZE LETTER
PO Box 369
Anytown
Countyshire
14 February 2016
Anna 45 Grech
9040 State Street East
Wheeling, WV 26003
Dear my 45 year old self,
Firstly, I hope that you read this in good health and have accomplished all my hopes and expectations for the future. I also pray that all the problems we have today have been resolved and you live in a world that is at peace.
Recently there have been a number of terrorist attacks perpetrated by Islamic State: innocent people have lost their lives. The solution for many is to fight fire with fire. If they bomb us, we bomb them. Yet are we any better than they are? Killing their innocents because they killed ours; bombing their houses because they bombed ours. Millions of Syrians have had to flee their country because of a war both Islamic State and we have created. We want to end terrorism, but is this the way to do it?
Humans have yet again failed to realise that what we do has consequences for other people. What we do affects their lives in ways we cannot even imagine. So I hope that when you read this, terrorism is a word of the past, that we are at peace with Syria and that wars no longer rage in the world.
This may be too much to ask for, but we must ask ourselves: What do we gain from war? Does it truly matter whether you believe in God or Allah? Is there such a thing as the right religion? A war in the name of God is not honourable, but a disgrace. For humans to need to prove their devotion to their religious faith through violence is despicable. For humans to kill hundreds to claim a piece of land does not prove their superiority but rather their thirst for power. The sooner we realise this, the sooner we will save ourselves. I also hope that gender equality is evident in all countries. That word-phrases like ‘pay gap’ or ‘rape culture’ no longer apply to the world you are living in. I believe that every child has the right to go to school and I pray that this has finally been achieved by the time you read this. If not, I trust you are fighting to the best of your ability to make this possible. However, I find that adults sometimes lose or choose to put aside their beliefs as they grow older; they become more and more afraid of what people will think of them as time passes. I hope that you are not one of these adults and that your strong beliefs about feminism and equality for everyone are not lost whilst trying to grow up. I want you to have the courage to go against what is wrong and speak up for those whose voices have been taken away. But I am confident that you are already doing this.
Already scientific research is developing at an increasing rate. Maybe when you read this the word ‘cancer’ no longer causes panic. By then, all types of cancer might be curable with a simple vaccine, surgery or technology that is yet to be invented. For now, all I can do is hope that your family will not be broken apart or harmed in any way by this merciless disease.
I am confident that by the time you read this you have achieved great things and are making the world a better place. My biggest concern however, is that you are happy with the life you have built for yourself.
Right now, I could not wish for a better family. I could not wish for parents who care more about me and support me in everything I do, and hope your children feel the same way about you. I am sure, the bonds I have with my brother, sister and cousin, three truly important people in my life, have not faded, but have strengthened over the years. I hope you truly value the importance of your family and friends in your life.
So I dream that in your world there is peace and prosperity everywhere. I believe that people will be much more accepting of those who are different. After all, it is these people who will change the world for the better. I continuously worry about the future; I wish you were here beside me to tell me everything will work out fine and that my worries are unfounded as long as you stick to what you believe is right and are not afraid to stand up for both yourself and for others. Of course the people who can change the world are sometimes the people most unlikely to do so, so we must continue to apply pressure on all the issues which matter most.
There are just a few more things I have to offer you as advice: please be as optimistic as you possibly can and teach your family to do the same. In doing this, you will set an example for those surrounding you. Try to be good and kind to any person you meet.
The only favour I have left to ask of you is to have courage and never give up. Never forget there are people living in much worse conditions than yourself. And finally, I want you to be proud of how far you have come from the fourteen year old writing this letter.
You may be reading this and thinking that I have set expectations which are too high for both yourself and the world you live in, but as Emma Watson said in a recent speech to the United Nations: "we can change the world. If not me, who? If not now, when?"
Yours most sincerely,
Your fourteen year old self.
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