I recently gave a short presentation at an Interfaith Peace and Justice meeting in which I spoke about being a VSO on a small Caribbean island many years ago. During my time there, my parents subscribed to the Guardian Weekly for me. It was a thin tissue paper production that gave me a view of the world outside.
I then told them how I had again subscribed when I moved to the United States. I told them about some of the recent articles that have given me insight into world events and the wonderful photos that speak for themselves. Finally I produced the most recent copies that I have been saving up since the new format was introduced and handed them round. I stressed that I was not trying to sell something to them but I was trying to share something that means a lot to me and I feel will resonate with them. I hope there will be a sudden burst of interest in subscriptions from Los Angeles.
It was an opportunity for me to acknowledge what this publication has meant for me for so many years and to what extent it has formed my worldview. I was initially hesitant about the new format but now I see it is a way to expand the readership.
