"We are motivated to make positive change and get more community members involved in enriching our activities and growing our association,” stated Vida Fereydoonzad, the young president of the Zoroastrian Association of Quebec (ZAQ) in her first written message to the community in the July 2015 issue of the ZAQ newsletter. She further appreciated the commitment of "amazing role models and leaders such as Faranak Firoozi and Dolly Dastoor to guide me these past years.” Fresh faces of the next generation will continue to move the Association forward, guide it and take it to greater heights, remarked outgoing president Dastoor at the May 24 annual general meeting of the Association. Besides updating the ZAQ directory, maintaining its tri-lingual website run in English, French and Farsi, and organizing its religious, welfare and social events, the Association has been active in the sports sphere too, promoting basketball and badminton among the members.
(From left, standing): Mitra Bahrami, Vida Fereydoonzad, Abtin Jahanbakshzadeh, Zareen Hakim Austin, Aazeen Irani, Khushnuma Daruwala, Farhad Fereydoonzad; (sitting) Dolly Dastoor, Ervad Jal Panthaki, Rohinton Marolia and Firooza Aubry
Five of the seven-member youthful new executive committee, including vice president Aazeen Irani and secretary Khushnuma Daruwala, are ladies. The only office bearer who is a male is Vida’s father Farhad Fereydoonzad who takes over as treasurer.
Born and raised in Montreal, Vida says she was introduced to the Zoroastrian religion at a young age by her late grandmother Mahin and has since retained an interest in the religion. Working in the field of marketing since her graduation in 2011, she continues to volunteer her time on many committees including the one connected with the 60 million girls Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by her mother Wanda Bedard to support girls’ education in developing countries.
Serving her second term on the ZAQ board, Irani appreciates being given an opportunity to work on the Zoroastrian religious classes for children where she "learnt a lot as a teacher” and hopes to organize some fun events in the current term. She migrated to Canada from Karachi four years ago and is currently in her second year as a nursing student.
Living in Montreal since 2010 when she came to pursue her postgraduation in software engineering, Daruwala has in the past volunteered her services for ZAQ’s bar tending and cleaning operations. Originally from Bombay she now works as software engineer for Acquisio Inc.
A member of ZAQ since 1977 Farhad acknowledges his membership of this association "has helped me to show my children our Zarathushti rituals and beliefs. Organizing sports activities for ZAQ since 2011 he enjoys playing with so many young and old enthusiasts from the community. Born in Tehran, he moved to Montreal in 1976, completed his graduation in mechanical engineering after which he has been in the pulp and paper industry working in engineering, management and product sales at Valmet Limited.
"I think it’s important to teach our children the beauty of Zoroastrianism and how it can gently guide us in everyday life,” states Zareen Hakim Austin, a mother of two who is volunteering her time again for the ZAQ committee. Originally from Cortlandt Manor, New York, she now resides in Quebec with her family. The biology graduate worked for seven years with J. P. Morgan Chase and Company before she decided to pursue art at The International Academy of Design in Montreal and finally pursue a career as a graphic designer.
Living in Canada for the last 25 years, Mitra Bahrami, a mother of two daughters, had worked earlier too on the ZAQ committee from 2009 to 2011 and looks forward "to serve our committee the best way I can.” By profession, she is a registered dietitian nutritionist at Charles LeMoyne Hospital and Community Center.
Abtin Jahanbakshzadeh had also served on the 2013-15 ZAQ committee and hopes that by offering his "skills and expertise” the current team will succeed in: "making it a memorable term for everyone.” He left Iran nine years ago, lived in France for three years and moved to Montreal thereafter. He is currently a PhD candidate in mining and geotechnical engineering with five years of research experience at the University of Montreal.