Teenagers between 14 to 19 years can now avail of the Zoroastrian Exchange Program launched by the Zoroastrian Youth of North America (ZYNA). Youngsters interested in experiencing how Zoroastrians live in another city/country and families willing to play host for a week or two are invited to participate in this Program. "This is a project we are piloting in July/August of this year and would be limited to approximately five students/ families,” conveyed Kimiya Shahzadi, ZYNA co-chair. Thereafter this Program would continue every summer.
A communiqué from the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America dated May 31, 2023 has laid down the criteria for youths interested in applying and families willing to host for one or two weeks. Teenagers keen to avail of this opportunity are required to send a letter of intent by email to
zyna@fezana.org with contact information about themselves and their parents, medical condition and food requirements, plus a 300 to 500-word essay on why they would like to participate and what they hope to achieve from this Program.
Likewise, those willing to volunteer as host families should send a letter of intent with information about members in the household and a brief introduction to their children. If they have any specific expectations when hosting a youngster, they should express that at the outset. ZYNA will pair the prospective youth and a host family through an introductory email and Zoom call after which they will facilitate coordination as required.
Above: At the ZYNA retreat in Toronto
Selected candidates are expected to bear their travel, health, travel insurance and other basic costs including sightseeing, entry fees, etc. Host families will bear the costs of providing safe and secure accommodation in their home and meals.
The benefits of this Program as envisaged by the organizers are to: develop lifelong leadership skills, learn a new language and culture, build lasting friendships among young people from around the world, become global citizens. Zoroastrians from an Iranian background could be placed with Parsis and vice-versa to increase unity in the community.
Early this year, nearly 50 youngsters participated in the ZYNA retreat in Toronto. In the meanwhile, ZYNA’s social events subcommittee has been organizing fun programs like a successful Nowruz Concert showcasing talented Zoroastrian youth with over 300 attendees, and a Nowruz Countdown on Zoom. Their weekly Zoom Hangouts and monthly Game Nights and Movie Nights continue to be popular. Additionally they have parallel WhatsApp groups for Z Wordle, Z Recipes, Z Fitness and Strava where each week there are fitness challenges with a warm supportive community of young Zoroastrians. Their Holiday Gift Exchange event brought together young Zoroastrians from the USA and Canada through presents.
Another novel project is the "Traveling Teddybear Series where Zubin, the sedreh-koshti wearing bear,” will visit Zoroastrian events like navjotes and weddings. Accompanying the teddy bear will be a journal in which the young are expected to record their experiences with the bear. The bear and the journal are then "passed on to the next young person holding a Zoroastrian event. When the journal is full, the experiences will be collated into a children’s book,” explained Shahzadi when responding to queries from Parsiana. Also planned is a California Road Trip to the six dar-e-mehers (one each in San Diego, Orange Country, San Jose and Sacramento, and two in Los Angeles).