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"Thank you for flying with FEZANA Airlines, Flight NAZC2024,” announced ‘Capt’ Kayomarz Sidhwa, attired in a pilot’s uniform on New Year’s eve, December 31, 2024. President of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA), Sidhwa had opted for this novel route to keep those attending the North American Zoroastrian Congress in Houston from December 29, 2024 to January 1, 2025, informed of the umbrella body’s 27 member associations, 14 corresponding groups and 20 committees. FEZANA vice president Xerxes Commissariat was his ‘co-pilot,’ navigating the virtual flight. In reality he is the chair of   FEZANA’s  strategic planning and coordination committee.

Seated on the dais with them was their ‘crew’ who head some of the FEZANA committees. They were to give an insight into the varied activities of the organization in the field of welfare, education, youth, advocacy, research and preservation, and community service. The one-hour session planned as in-flight entertainment ensured that "no one would feel motion sickness.”

Requesting the audience to keep their seat belts fastened, Katayun Kapadia, co-chair of the North American Zoroastrian Congress Committee mentioned that 18 Congresses have been held since the inception of FEZANA in 1987. "Each congress is like a flight,” she reminded the gathering.

The Zoroastrian Unity and Welfare Committee recognizes the importance for community members "to support one another in times of need,” said co-chair Sanaya Master. Medical treatment, financial assistance, recovery cases, long-term care are the different heads under which they extend aid. Whether it is "supporting single mothers to rebuild their lives or young adults to build relationships,” their assistance is valued.

Interfaith dialog, fostering a spirit of understanding, sharing values with other religious bodies, upholding our religion’s commitment to peace in a diverse world  has been the thrust of the Interfaith Activities Committee, explained co-chair Homi Gandhi. Shirin Mehri referred to the Zoroastrian presence at the Parliament of World Religions. 

The in-flight learning section referred to the Religion and Education Committee (REC) simultaneously working in two areas, as specified co-chairs Artemis Javanshir and Persis Driver. Its efforts for children and families has over 100 educators offering lesson plans for all ages, teacher workshops and ready to use resources. For adults, initiatives include interfaith connections, Gatha translations and language classes plus periodic FEZANA REC talks. The website fezana.org/education offers "a treasure trove” of creative content for educators, an inter-generational recording of stories of migration, plus Gatha chants for those seeking relaxation.

The chief editor of the ‘in-flight’ magazine, Dr Dolly Dastoor, urged the gathering "to read the glossy, 100-page FEZANA Journal that has an international readership. Each issue of the quarterly features a unique cover story. Its balanced approach offers diverse views while staying clear of community politics. Subscription forms would be available in seat pockets!

Since Dastoor is also the co-chair of the Scholarship Committee, she referred to 74 applications being received in 2024 for 30 scholarships, totaling USD 90,500. Of these 30 scholarships that were sanctioned, 23 were endowment scholarships, six were FEZANA funded and one was alumni funded. "These scholarships empower young Zoroastrians to pursue higher education,” she noted.

The co-chairs of the Zoroastrian Youth of North America (ZYNA), Kimiya Shahzadi, Anaheez Karbhari and Fravash Chothia had devised a multiple choice quiz to share knowledge about ZYNA and its six subcommittees. "How many young Zoroastrians does ZYNA connect across North America?” The correct answer is 470. "Which of these initiatives has ZYNA been involved in? (1) Environmental projects; (2) Donation drives and community outreach; (3) Religion, culture and interfaith dialog; (4) Leadership, empowerment and entrepreneurship sessions; (5) All of the above” The last option was the correct answer. Adapting the FEZANA presentation to simulate an on flight experience was the effort of Karbhari with assistance from Tanya Hoshi who chairs the communications committee.

Requesting the audience to put their phones on airplane mode, Hoshi took pride in reporting that "viewers engage with our social media content.” FEZANA was able to generate "over eight million views on content produced in the last year.” She referred to the series "Our stories matter” that gave narrators an opportunity to live "beyond secrecy, beyond North America.” She believes, "Stories bring people together for they remember and share them.”

The audience was next requested to prepare for landing in Houston, the home of the FEZANA Information Research Education System (FIRES), housed in the Zarathushti Heritage and Cultural Center. To establish and provide global access to a centralized collection of print and electronic material on the Zoroastrian religion, culture and history has been their endeavor, stated FIRES co-chair Aban Rustomji.

"Everything we do needs money,” stated Arzan Wadia, immediate past president of FEZANA who is now co-chair of the fundraising committee. Tasked with raising four million dollars (Rs 34.82 crore) in the next four years, he sought financial pledges to meet the target. Currently FEZANA is "the custodian of USD 4.2 million (Rs 36.56 crore). We have to safeguard the corpus for the future. We have to aim higher,” he said.

Since Anahita and Hoshedar Tamboli donated USD 50,000 (Rs 43.53 lakh) to the North American Mobeds Council for mobed empowerment, it was announced that they were willing to give an additional sum of USD 50,000 if anyone would match this amount. There are 16 dar-e-mehers in North America of which six have come up in the last eight years. "The doors of the aircraft won’t open” until funds are raised, remarked Sidhwa in jest.

While yet ‘taxiing,’ Sidhwa declared, "FEZANA takes is role as facilitator very seriously. Out of 15 members on the leadership team, 11 are women. It is one of the most organized and efficient organizations in the community.”

Funding FEZANA

In the last two months of 2024, the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) announced the creation of three endowments thanks to donations totaling one million dollars (Rs 8.71 crore). The Tirdad Lohrasb Welfare and Critical Assistance Endowment made possible with a donation of USD 400,000 (Rs 3.48 crore) initiated by Shahrad Lohrasb is meant to provide "a safety net during life’s most challenging moments,” as noted a communiqué from Wadia and Jamshed Rivetna, co-chairs of the FEZANA fundraising committee.

This Endowment will address critical needs such as health crises, accidents or natural disasters; relief from hunger and poverty; educational assistance to Zoroastrian students from primary school through university. The Welfare and Critical Needs Committee will oversee the disbursement of funds from the investment income while ensuring the principal remains intact. This donation was facilitated by Cyrus Jamula, president of the Zoroastrian Society of Washington State.

Additionally, The Khorshed and Phiroze Sethna Scholarship Endowment to support Zarathushti students and the Najamai and Cavasji Pavri Welfare Endowment to assist those in need were set up following "an extraordinary anonymous bequest of over USD 600,000 (Rs 5.22 crore)… The profound generosity of this gift will leave a lasting legacy of compassion, opportunity and hope within the Zarathushti community,” noted Sidhwa. He viewed the Tirdad Lohrasb Endowment as "reinforcing a collective commitment to support those facing adversity.”