30th | Support for "A Brief Message from the Heart" Letter Contest | Sponsorships | About Public Affairs Committee

Support for "A Brief Message from the Heart" Letter Contest

Since 1995 we have supported this contest, begun by the Maruoka-cho Cultural Foundation in Fukui Prefecture. We support this event mainly for the following two reasons. First, the contest features the spirit common to our message: Passing important values from people to people. Second, Maruoka-cho is where Masatomo Sumitomo, our founder, was born.

30th “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest Award Ceremony

The award ceremony for the 30th “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest was held at the Takamuku Community Center in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, on April 23, 2023.

“Challenge” was the theme of the 2022 competition.

The 166 award-wining letters, including those garnering the 5 Grand Prizes, 10 Excellence Awards, 20 Sumitomo Awards, and 4 Selection Committee Special Awards commemorating the 30th contest, which were announced in January, were honored.

Five students from the Maruoka Junior High School of Sakai City read out the award-winning letters expressing diverse sentiments.

A certificate made of the local Echizenori textile was presented to each of the winners.

Ceremony — The selection committee commenting on this year’s letters

30th “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest Winners Announced

An event to announce winners of the 30th “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest was held at the Takamuku Community Center in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, on January 20, 2023. In this annual contest sponsored by Sumitomo Group Public Affairs Committee, contestants compete by writing memorable short letters on a given theme.

“Challenge” was the theme of the 2022 competition. Of 39,704 entries from Japan and abroad, 160 letters were chosen as winners, including those garnering the 5 Grand Prizes, 10 Excellence Awards, 20 Sumitomo Awards, and 4 Selection Committee Special Awards commemorating the 30th contest. At the venue, five students from the Maruoka Junior High School of Sakai City read out the award-winning letters expressing the richly diverse sentiments stimulated by “Challenge.”

Over 1 Million Cumulative Entries

The cumulative entries to "A Brief Message from the Heart" Letter Contest," including those to its predecessor held 10 times from 1993 onward, exceeded one million (1,005,226 letters) on April 19, 2009.