Archive

Thanks to an international effort courtesy the Global Working Group (GWG), over a million dollars were raised to institute the FEZANA Professorship in Zoroastrian Languages and Literature at the University of Toronto. Contributions from the "Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hongkong, Canton and Macao as also the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) helped us go over the finishing line.” At the online GWG meeting on February 11, 2023, Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) president Arzan Wadia acknowledged the support rendered by regional representatives of leading community associations and trusts in different corners of the world who work together under the GWG umbrella.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since the pandemic the Zoroastrian Youth of North America (ZYNA) have been organizing "a tremendous amount of activities.” Over 228 of them will be attending the Eighth World Zoroastrian Youth Congress (8WZYC) in London this year (see "A second arm,” Parsiana, February 21-March 6, 2023). An in-person retreat was planned for the youth in Toronto earlier this year. A youth succession plan is being worked out to introduce the next generation to  FEZANA’s multifarious responsibilities. For children in the 12 to 18 age bracket, youth camps are planned by different associations. 

"The FEZANA Journal does amazing work. Editor Dolly Dastoor has been at the helm for more than a decade.” On the interfaith front, FEZANA past president Homi Gandhi is the co-chair. There will be a strong FEZANA presence at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago this August. The theme of the Parliament being "A call to conscience: defending freedom and human rights,” the Zoroastrian delegation has planned 13 panels and three exhibits. The Religious Education Committee has been working on sharing information and ideas from those who have been teaching religion in the USA, UK, India, Australia, Singapore. 

Actually India was the first country to be invited to offer a summary of its activities but in the absence of Armaity Tirandaz, president of The Federation of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI) and chairman of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), co-trustee Viraf Mehta sought time to get inputs from her. "Does the Punchayet always need more time?” jested moderator Dorab Mistry, past president of ZTFE, who  then allowed some other major and minor reports to highlight their activities first. The report sent by Tirandaz and read out by Mehta was a summary of the BPP’s welfare activities in the field of healthcare, alleviating poverty, education, religious training, sports, and housing looking after 4,400 flats in 22 baugs. The new team of seven trustees has been working "reasonably well and harmoniously,” organizing its finances and coordinating activities that require "humongous efforts,” summed up the report.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mehta subsequently mentioned that since the Government of India has paused the funding for the Jiyo Parsi scheme, fertility treatment of nearly 400 Zoroastrian applicants has been put on hold. The BPP trustees plan to meet the minister of minority affairs Smriti Irani. Dinshaw Tamboly, chairman of the WZO (World Zoroastrian Organisation) Trust Funds (WZOTF) mentioned that Dastur Khurshed Dastoor has written a four-page letter to her hoping she would act on the issues raised. Tamboly felt the community organizations in India should approach her collectively. Commented Mistry: "If the community in India can collectively do something, that would be the most constructive outcome of this meeting.” 

The ZTFE has been active on the interfaith front and is busy supporting two mega events: the 8WZYC followed by the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) London conclave. "The Youth Congress bookings closed in seven hours, faster than a Michael Jackson concert,” remarked Mistry and the WZCC early bird offer "will expire any minute.” He mentioned that Sir Ron (Rohinton) Kalifa, strategic and operational leader in the field of digital and financial services, was recognized with a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List last June. Among the dignitaries invited to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, ZTFE president Malcolm Deboo stood out in his white dagli and black pugree. He also had an occasion to interact with King Charles III who is the sovereign of all faiths. The Zoroastrian community in UK is hopeful King Charles will visit them just as he has made trips to the Gurudwara and Jewish old people’s home.

Farida Irani of Sydney will be involving some young Zoroastrians when explaining the significance of Navroz at the Powerhouse Museum this March 18. In the half hour assigned to them, they will showcase how Zarathushtis celebrate Navroz in Iran, India and Pakistan, she said. The Zoroastrians in Adelaide are trying to incorporate an association, reported Firoz Pestonji of Perth.

Tehmasp Mistry of New Zealand recommended that the GWG could play a greater role in disseminating Zoroastrian culture and traditions in this new age by making its presence felt on the meta universe (a combination of multiple elements of technology including virtual reality, augmented reality and video where users ‘live’ within a digital universe). He urged Zoroastrians to be available on this platform from the outset to especially benefit the next generation. "We need to take charge early” before misinformation is spread, he added.

The Dubai economy is doing very well as attested by the use of its sea port and airport, mentioned Meher Bhesania, chair of the 9WZC, in her report on the Middle East. The highest paying jobs in Dubai are for chemical and petroleum engineers. Those who had lost their jobs during the pandemic were helped by the community there. Dubai has drawn entrepreneurs from Singapore on account of its liberal economic policies that do not levy income tax, added Dorab Mistry.

Updates from committees

Poverty among Parsis in India has increased manifold times, reported Tamboly. Due to the changing demographic pattern there are fewer earning members per family. While currently "the dependency ratio is 1:4 (one earning member to four dependents), very soon it will go up to 1:5,” he stated.

"We (WZOTF) are very fortunate to have received massive support from all over the world,” he noted. Using their funds judiciously, WZOTF ensures their administrative expenses to total expenses are restricted to 1.40 percent. Of the Rs 22 crore (USD 2,657,599) received by WZOTF last year for use of Zoroastrians in India, more than 50% came from Hong Kong. "Had it not been for Hong Kong, I don’t know where the community would have been,” acknowledged Tamboly. 

In the financial year 2021-22, altogether Rs 20.64 crore (USD 2.50 million) were disbursed, the major heads being medical assistance and education. Altogether Rs 5.12 (USD 617,299) crore was spent on medical relief, Rs 3.74 (USD 450,918) crore on relief of poverty, Rs 3.46 (USD 417,159) crore on Covid relief, and Rs 1.08 (USD 130,211) crore on education. Financial help to mobeds and their families totaled nearly Rs 2.09 crore (USD 252,471). Tamboly referred to their sustainability projects with the WZCC US chapter supporting a water softening plant. Lack of electricity in these villages has led the WZCC to contribute towards electrification of villages, procurement of generators, and even introducing a project that creates water from moisture in the air.

"All big events need to be subsidized. Philanthropy for the community seems to be absent. There is more philanthropy for general (cosmopolitan) causes,” remarked Dorab Mistry. GWG non-executive chair and president of the Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hongkong, Canton and Macao, Neville Shroff mentioned how he receives "appeals from Dinshaw daily, sometimes several times in a day. He is hands-on in supporting the needy and destitute. However the community cannot depend on Hong Kong all the time. That creates a strain on us,” especially since Covid has caused a setback for them too. "I know FEZANA and ZTFE have funds. I hope next year we can see significant donations from these regions,” added Shroff.

"Should not GWG have a permanent fundraising committee to generate emergency funds to use in times of crisis? Why not have one more committee in addition to the other ones?” suggested Sam Balsara, chairman of Madison World and trustee of the Global Council of Zoroastrians Trust. He felt "it would be an institutionalized way to raise money for constructive causes” from Parsi billionaires. "Edul (Daver of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York) would be the right person to chair this committee. He is the most successful fundraiser,” commented Dorab Mistry. "A daily prayer for the Hong Kong property market would be in order,” he added in jest knowing how the global community is continuously appealing to them for funds. Kersy Bhesania of Dubai suggested that "while fundraising is fundamental, there should be a two-pronged approach for utilization of funds — for emergency and projects.”

The infrastructure committee headed by Rohinton Rivetna and Rustom Engineer, both of the US, had three proposals in mind to benefit the global community: to renovate the Cama Athornan Institute in Andheri to offer higher training to mobeds in scriptural studies, ministry and outreach; to attempt to upgrade The B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital into a world class facility; to build a home for the seniors in the UK and another in North America. 

At the UN Water Conference in New York from March 22 to 24, 2023, "We will send an international team of Zoroastrians from Asia, Europe and North America,” reported Dr Behram Pastakia from Washington who has been spearheading FEZANA’s Ava (water) Project. At the conference that seeks to "ensure a water secure world for all by all,” 10 Zoroastrians will be participating at their own cost. He further mentioned that Ruyintan Mehta who serves as president of Wheels India Niswarth (WIN) Foundation that supports key innovations in water and sanitation, and maternal and child health issues in India, has offered an internship to anyone interested in doing ground work in Kutch. 

At the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women from March 6 to 17, 2023, an international team of Zoroastrians will be making a presentation on March 13 entitled "Women’s Agency through Digitization in Pre and Post Covid Eras.” Societal issues, technological accessibility and women’s safety will be covered and actionable ideas for implementation will be shared. "We had a tough time selecting people as there were so many applicants,” stated Pastakia. He recommended that GWG should set a goal of applying for UN status and be recognized as a global group in harmony with the charter of the UN. 

The Return to Roots (RTR) program that encourages Zoroastrian youth from overseas to learn about their Parsi/Irani roots in India has since the last four months been officially incorporated as a standalone corporation. Registered in Maryland as a 501(c)(3) company, it will be eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Of the nine directors on the board, six will be RTR alumni, said Wadia. The next RTR trip to India has been planned in December 2023, applications for which will begin in April.

When reporting on the youth activities in other regions, Wadia referred to weekend events planned in India by the Zoroastrian Youth for the Next Generation (ZYNG 2.0), and the efforts of the Xtremely Young Zoroastrians (XYZ) to keep the younger children involved in community activities, as also the interest shown by younger mobeds in the Empowering Mobeds programs. The active youth in New Zealand are organizing fundraisers to reduce the financial burden for those traveling to London for the 8WZYC.

There are plans to reconceptualize the Zoroastrian Faculty Network (ZFN) that has been endeavoring to empower the youth by providing internships, dovetailing higher education in reputed, carefully selected universities globally. Since attendance at their monthly webinars has fallen considerably they plan to broaden the ZFN reach by involving the Zoroastrian Youth Across Borders (many of whom were selected to attend the 12WZC in New York), noted a report from Farrokh Rustomji, chief executive officer of the R. D. Sethna Scholarship Fund. 

With Dastoor being in Udvada and unable to attend the Zoom meeting, the activities of the priests in India were not enumerated. Ervad Tehemton Mirza, president of the North American Mobeds Council (NAMC) referred to the mobed liaison concept introduced with the cooperation of FEZANA such that each member association assigns a priest on its committee who could serve as a bridge between the priests council and the local association. Their NAMC Institute of Mobed Studies has been tasked to educate the mobeds and the general public. "Very wide interest” has been generated by their popular lecture series and courses on Zoroastrianism that have witnessed participation from far flung countries, including Myanmar.

When reporting on the settlement of immigrants and demographics, Gandhi referred to the efforts of Byram Avari, president of the Karachi Parsi Anjuman Trust Fund (who passed away two months ago), that helped the migration of several Parsis from Pakistan to Canada. He also alluded to the eagerness of some Zoroastrians from Iran to emigrate overseas. Gandhi was hopeful that the findings of the GenZ survey recently undertaken by Dr Sarah Stewart of the School of Oriental and African Studies will "help us in formulating policies.” 

The meeting ended with Shroff expressing his appreciation to Dorab Mistry for conducting the proceedings with "immaculate precision and restraint,” the organizers and participants for their "constructive comments and suggestions,” to Burjor Antia and the trustees of the Global Council of Zoroastrians Trust for putting in "enormous work” to register the body, to communications coordinator Katayun Kapadia for disseminating the information to members. 

Those present at the GWG meeting were: Firoz Pestonji from Australia; Meher and Kersy Bhesania from Dubai; Neville Shroff from Hong Kong; Burjor Antia, Viraf Mehta, Sam Balsara, Yazdi Tantra and Dinshaw Tamboly from India; Tehmasp Mistry from New Zealand; Arzan Wadia, Astad Clubwala, Katayun Kapadia, Rohinton Rivetna, Rustom Engineer, Homi Gandhi,  Edul Daver, Ervad Tehemton Mirza, Kayomarz Sidhwa, Farrokh Mistree, Behram Pastakia and Dolly Dastoor from North America; Homiyar Vasania and Cyrus Driver from Singapore; Dorab Mistry, Javid Canteenwalla and Sheherazade Kapadia from the UK. The Press was represented by Parsiana.