Jain Spirit 2003 12 No 17

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 22

1
Q&A
COVA
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To inform, connect and educate people about the Jain tradition and its values through the publication of a colourful professional quarterly magazine in the English language.
2. How is it produced?
There is a dedicated editorial team based at offices in Colchester, UK led by Dr. Atul K. Shah, Executive Editor. There are full and part-time staff and volunteers, who include a photo editor, designer, proof-reader, news editor, youth editor, cartoonist and freelance writers, photographers and artists.
A lot of creative effort is spent on the visual and design stage, where pictures and illustrations are often purchased and commissioned specifically for Jain Spirit. As a result, you will see images, cartoons and illustrations which you have never seen anywhere else before.
3. Who are the team members?
There is a Board of Directors who oversee the charity and the publication, marketing, distribution and financing of the magazine. All the Directors are volunteers and based in the UK. There is an international advisory board of eminent scholars who comment on the content of the magazine.
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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. What is the goal of Jain Spirit?
4. What do readers say about it?
CYCLING FOR DERASAR/CHARITY
In July 2004, over a hundred participants including many children will set off from London for four days, to attempt a challenging 280km cycle ride across to Paris.
The children from countries as far afield as Kenya and Australia will be taking part in order to raise a £100,000 for the first Jain Temple in London and selected children's charities in the UK, Kenya and India to fund various projects on education, relief of poverty and for the disabled.
The event has already attracted interest from over two
Jain Spirit December 2003 - February 2004
Forthcoming Events
5. Is there a demand for Jain Spirit?
The concept of a subscription magazine is a new one for the Jain community, which is generally not used to paying for reading material on culture. As a result of this, there is a big educational challenge to inform people about the value of Jain Spirit and how different their lives would be if they were to subscribe to it. To achieve this goal, we rely on our subscribers to act as catalysts and agents and actively promote the magazine. We do our own road-shows and events, but these rely very much on the cooperation from other Jain organisations and leaders. It would be ideal if Jain organisations all over the world took ownership of Jain Spirit and spread it to their members on a regular basis as we believe it would strengthen their work.
6. Do you need to market the magazine?
Yes, all the time. We have a full-time marketing executive,
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
hundred children and adults. If you are interested in taking part, please contact the following for more information: Pravina Rohit Mehta on (+44) 01923 820204 Mahendra Mehta on (+44) 0208 426 1333 Suraj Shah on (+44) 07970 735 775
Y JAIN?
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They love it! We regularly receive positive comments from all over the world and the magazine is read by people from all walks of life, not just Jains. Many prominent leaders and thinkers regularly read and compliment the magazine.
YJA (Young Jains of America) will host its 6th Biennial Convention, entitled 'Y Jain?', in the Bay Area, USA in July 2004. Further details will become available in due course on the YJA web site: www.yja.org