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"Don’t stop me now… I’m having a good time!” The lines from the late British rock star Freddie Mercury’s popular song could well have encapsulated the experience of nearly 500 youth at the 8th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress (8WZYC) in London in July this year. A dedicated team of 30 young, dynamic volunteers worked tirelessly over the last four years to deliver five days of show stopping entertainment that included ice breaker sessions, ‘A night with Bond, Jamshed Bond,’ musical entertainment at the Guildhall, and a Persian themed night at the closing ceremony.
With the Congress vision of "Reigniting Connections” and "Coexisting harmoniously despite our differences” the introductory ice breaker session was facilitated by a dear friend of the Young Zoroastrians (the youth arm of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe), Mark Gifford (director of the ASHA Centre founded by his mother Zerbanoo as an educational charity and retreat center for young adults worldwide) and the 8WZYC team. On registration, delegates had been given a wrist band which correlated to a table number, to encourage the youth to mix outside of existing friends and acquaintances.
Once seated at their table, each person had 45 seconds to introduce him/herself, narrate a guilty pleasure (Zoroastrian food delicacies emerged as a popular answer) and then come up with a gesture to accompany their name! What then followed was a speed networking game to allow people from different tables to connect and get to know each other better. With 500 young Zoroastrians navigating through the activities in one room, this exercise was no mean feat for the organizers, but it was instrumental in encouraging everyone to mingle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yet another session of ice breakers was conducted by Farzin Avari and Kimiya Shahzadi, co-chairs of the Zoroastrian Youth of North America (ZYNA) who involved the delegates in a game of ‘Snake Oil’ through the Zoroastrian lens. In this game, participants need to pitch absurd and unusual products to various customers. Atash Wings, Loban Fan, Angra Mainyu Tent and Amesha Spenta Window were a few of the creative and unique products pitched that created laughter and learning in the room. To familiarize the attendees with the Zoroastrian Global Glossary created by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA), the ZYNA team asked the delegates to sell their unknown products to their peers, their parents and mobeds. Mini card decks with unique designs had been created by ZYNA members for each table to facilitate their own game. As reminded Avari, an Atlanta-based teacher, meaningful engagement during such activities is very important for learning and retention of new concepts.
‘A night with Bond, Jamshed Bond,’ with our rising Bollywood film star Shreyas Pardiwalla, saw an evening of quintessential British style, sophistication and glamor. The youth certainly showed that they have a license to thrill, with gentlemen dusting off debonair tuxedos and ladies donning stunning dresses! A sea of red, black and white welcomed the delegates as they immersed themselves in the world of 007 with casino games manned by expert croupiers, dancing, themed props, a magician and the best Bond theme songs which transformed the venue into a scene straight from the movies! Some of the Congress delegates from different parts of the world also performed a Bollywood group dance which was well received and enjoyed by all.
For the add-on event at the historic Guildhall in London, guests were treated to an evening of musical entertainment by the young dynamic duo — singer Delraaz Bunshah, and pianist Alyza Zack — whose beautiful and breathtaking performances of popular hits left the audience awestruck.
A Persian themed night marked the closing of the 8WZYC to celebrate our rich Zoroastrian culture and heritage, and to showcase the amazing talents of our youth. The venue looked like a scene from Persepolis with pillars, palm trees and elegant props. The evening’s entertainment began with a traditional Persian folk music performance by Cody Partovi and Mehrdad Parsi, two young Zoroastrians born in Iran and now living in California. The intricate melodies and rhythms of the tonbak and tar instruments transported guests back to ancient Persia and immersed them in the music of our ancestors! Talented singer and songwriter Tara Jam from Canada was another shining star with beautiful poignant performances of a traditional Persian piece, and a version of Ben E. King’s song Stand by Me. There was also an inspiring talk from Shirin Amani Azari, a psychotherapist who lives in London, on the power of Persian Zoroastrian women and what the youth can learn from them.
The most eagerly anticipated act of the night was a traditional Persian Bandari dance performance featuring UK youths Vista Khosravi, Paria Nozari, Shazneen Munshi, Ruby Sethna, Shaizeen Persha, Darayus Bharucha, Darius Parekh and Athravan Sett. The vibrant beats, colorful costumes and lively, twinkle-toed dance moves resulted in the 500 strong audience showing their immense enjoyment and support by getting up and dancing, cheering the performers and ending with a standing ovation! This was definitely the cherry on the cake of an amazing entertainment program!
It was beautiful and inspiring to see the  youngsters create lifelong memories, friendships and bonds through the wide range of activities and events organized by our 8WZYC committee. We are thankful to all our talented facilitators and performers who played an integral role in engaging the youth. We hope that this creates a legacy and inspires future generations to keep our Zoroastrian flame burning!