Today, British luxury cruise line Cunard and award-winning Australian author Anna Funder invite Australians to slow down and write a letter to the world.
Inspired by Cunard’s 185-year legacy of carrying letters and stories across oceans, from the red Royal Mail postboxes onboard ships like Queen Mary 2, the initiative celebrates the enduring power of handwritten connection in an age of instant communication.
Ms Funder and Cunard are calling on Australians to put pen to paper and write the first letter in a modern pen-pal exchange, offering a glimpse into life on the island continent for a reader they may never meet, but who may one day reply.
Anna Funder will draw on the letters submitted by Australians to write a single handwritten letter from Australia to the world – a considered piece of writing shaped by many voices and authored by one of the country’s most significant contemporary writers. Her letter will be revealed to hundreds of guests aboard Queen Mary 2 while docked in Sydney Harbour on Wednesday 4 March. Two writers of selected letters will be invited to witness the unveiling.
The initiative also coincides with Queen Anne’s scheduled visit to Sydney on 16 March as part of her 110-night World Voyage.
All submitted letters will then travel by sea aboard Queen Mary 2, where they will be read by guests as the iconic ocean liner continues her 108-night World Voyage across Asia, Africa and Europe. Some letters may be answered by guests on the high seas, extending the pen-pal exchange across oceans and time zones.
Anna Funder said: “What drew me to this project with Cunard is the idea of letters travelling slowly, by sea and being read by passengers with the same care with which they were written. Writing a letter asks us to pause, reflect on where we are, and imagine the person reading it on the other side of the world. It’s an act of intimate connection, in words. I’m looking forward to being guided by the letters Australians submit as I write a response from Australia to the world.”
Drawing on Cunard’s long-standing commitment to creating spaces for reflection — from its literary programming to the quiet luxury of its Grill Suites — the initiative encourages a return to thoughtful, unhurried communication.
Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said: “Our signature spaces, including the Grill Suites and the largest library at sea, embody the philosophy of a slower, more considered way of travelling. They give guests the rare luxury of time and space, to disconnect, to read, to write and to reflect as the ocean unfolds beyond the window.
“Inviting Australians to write a letter to the world felt like a natural expression of that experience and a modern continuation of Cunard’s 185-year heritage of carrying words and stories across the seas.”
The initiative is supported by ConnectedAU, a community-led organisation focused on meaningful human connection. Through its Letterbox Project, ConnectedAU revives the tradition of handwritten correspondence, pairing Australians in letter exchanges that foster empathy and connection.
Mae Campbell, Founder and CEO of ConnectedAU said: “At ConnectedAU, we believe connection deepens when people take the time to communicate with care. This project invites Australians to share a small, honest piece of life from here — in their own words — and open a conversation with someone they’ve never met. That act of writing, reading and replying is where real understanding begins. We’re proud to support and partner on an initiative that places intentional connection at its centre.”
Every Australian can submit their letter for inclusion by visiting cunard.com/letters. Entries close at 17.00 on Monday 23 February 2026.
