2013 from the South

A heartfelt wish for 2013 is to allow ourselves to fully listen to each other; and, enriched by that synergy, to step up efforts to build better societies. There is room for all voices and a need to forge own paths. We respectfully accept the diversity of thoughts as we oppose any hegemony that someone might try to impose upon us.

Today the South has something to say; arrogances aside; confident that our inputs intend to add and not to subtract. The contributions aim to improve our trajectories and also influence the new global architecture that is required to drive mankind towards a sustainable planetary development. We have regained the freedom and the determination to express ourselves and we wish to honor them with all the seriousness, prudence and courage that these times and our nations need.

Opinion Sur will keep steadily publishing its articles, books, columns and blog. We would like to reach more readers and do so in their languages. However, the challenges exceed us. For example and due to the extremely modest available budget, Opinion Sur is not published in Chinese. We have resorted to some contacts in order to make it happen but the results have not been successful. Maybe there is someone who can facilitate the translation of our monthly publication to Chinese, whether as a volunteer or financing hired translators.

Another major challenge we will take on in 2013 is to significantly increase the number of readers, especially, students and members of grass-root organizations (territorial, unions and small producers). We seek to team with some of you willing to disseminate Opinion Sur among your networks. It took Opinion Sur ten years to reach with its three editions (Spanish, English and Portuguese) 70.000 subscribers. Hopefully we will not need a whole second decade to double this audience. As you may know, Opinion Sur does not receive publicity so this effort is not about proving a robust publication to advertisers. We simply understand that our main mission is sharing and exchanging strategic thinking with multiple and diverse audiences around the world. Any support is very welcome.

Cordial greeting
The editors