The winners of the Emirates Post International Letter Writing Competition on the theme 'How we can build a better future' were announced yesterday.

The competition attracted 181 entries from UAE schoolchildren. The top award in the Arabic category was won by Haura Abbas Ibrahim of Qurtuba School, Dubai, who was given a cash prize of Dh 1,500.

Her entry has been sent to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to join the global shortlist of entries from different countries.

The other winners in the Arabic letter category were Safa Nael Husni of Qurtuba School, Dubai; Salem Mohammed Darwish of Dibba School, Fujairah; Fatma Saif Hamed Ghantoosh, Eden Foundation School, Ras Al Khaimah; Mohammed Ibrahim Al Thahry, Hilli School, Al Ain; Shawi Mohsen Abdul Raouf Morsi, Lewa School, West area; Suhail Marwan Abu Rahma, Saeediya School, Dubai and Donya Mohammed Al Sharqawi, West area.

In the English category, top honours were shared by Mohammed Iqbal Al Yusuf of Al Sidiq Islamic English School, Dubai and Hiyam Anwar Jalal Al Buloushi, Arwa School, Abu Dhabi.

The winning letters were selected by a panel of judges headed by Asma Al Zarouni and Basma Yunus Marsy from the Emirates Writers' Union.

The International Letter Writing Competition is organised every year by UPU in all its member countries, first at the national level and later at the global level. In the 2002 competition, the theme was 'A Letter to Someone You Miss'.

Finalists were selected from 62 countries. The top prize was shared by Candice Balletta, a 13-year-old girl from South Africa and Safia Fernandez, a 10-year-old girl from Venezuela.