The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Russian Post have announced the start of an annual competition among school and university students, Best Letter Writing 2017. This year’s project is devoted to the Year of the Environment. The participants will be asked to write an essay on the topic “What I am doing to preserve nature in Russia.”

The Amur Tiger Centre has proposed another essay topic dealing with the protection of rare big cats: “An Amur tiger living at my home.” “Russia is our home, where thousands of plant and animal species live under one roof, not only people. Among our neighbours are Amur tigers, the world's biggest and only tigers that can live in the snow. They are crucial for the ecosystem of Russia’s Far East,” said Yury Biryukov, general director of the Amur Tiger Centre.

The Best Letter Writing 2017 is a nationwide student competition that was initiated in 2002. Each year it involves about 100,000 students and schoolchildren from all regions of the country. This year’s event, the 15th Best Letter Writing, includes 11 categories, which focus on the environment, homeland defence, the Russian language, friendship among peoples, family values, and other issues. Submissions – art and essays – will be accepted until 15 August 2017. Details are available at the Russian Post website.