‘Tidal wave of emotion’ secures win for young Turkish writer in UN competition

Fifteen-year-old Reyyan Demiriz from Türkiye has been awarded first prize in a UN young writers’ competition which garnered a staggering 1.6 million entries from 65 different countries.

Her standout entry was powered by a “tidal wave of emotion”, said the UN postal agency's Director General Masahiko Metoki.

The postal service, formally known as the Universal Postal Union (UNU), organized the competition in partnership with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

The contest – now in its 54th year – invited young people aged nine-15 to reflect on the need to protect seas and oceans under the theme, Imagine you are the ocean, in conjunction with the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.

The competition aims to build awareness in sustainability, marine conservation and the interconnectedness of ecosystems worldwide, underscores UPU.

Heal the ocean, heal yourself

“You must remember, when I grow sick, the rain forgets its rhythm, the rivers run hollow, and the wind begins to carry sorrow instead of seed. When you heal the ocean, you begin to heal yourself. So come back to me, like a kid returning to their mother,” she writes. 

Second place was awarded to 16-year-old Phạm Đoàn Minh Khuê of Viet Nam, whose letter appealed to a renowned film director to create a movie highlighting the critical state of the ocean.

Third place went to 13-year-old Kanlanfe Ingrid Ouali from Burkina Faso, honoured with the bronze medal for her letter where the ocean reminds us that humanity’s survival and prosperity are inseparably linked to its own.

Inspiring young voices

“True power lies not just in what we say, but in what we do”, said Dr. Matheickal, Director of the Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division at IMO.

“I also want to gently remind everyone here that ocean protection is also about people, about inclusion, diversity, and equity. Everyone's voice matters. Every child's dream counts.

“And together, we can build a world where oceans are clean, communities are safe, and hope is not a wish, but a plan,” said Dr. Matheickal.

Ms. Demiriz closes her letter with the words, “Forget not that I long to carry your joy, reflect your wonder.

“Care for me not as a chore, but as an act of love. And I will give back to you more than you could ever take; more beauty, more oxygen, more life…”

Her passionate words leave readers with a heartfelt reminder of the ocean’s enduring generosity, and the responsibility humanity bears to protect it.

Read Reyyan Demiriz’s full letter here.