Tajik Zoroastrian center

Iran Zamin, the quarterly publication of the Vancouver based Ancient Iranian Cultural and Religious Research and Development Center (AICRRDC) reporting on its project to build cultural centers in Tajikistan has accepted the idea of building a monu­ment "to illustrate the wisdom of the greatest Aryan of all times, Zarathushtra.” The building is to combine modern and ancient architecture and depict the teachings of Zarathushtra by way of bas-relief so that every passerby can carry their impres­sion in his/her mind, notes the journal’s August 2004 issue.

Chartered architect Dadi Surti of Surti and Partners with offices in Pakistan, Iran, UK, Sharjah, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Oman has volunteered to take responsibility for executing the project free of charge, notes the journal. On a recent visit to Vancouver Surti is said to have discussed the project with the AICRRDC and the latter, along with Tajik friends, is trying to procure a site with a good location. The list of donors is avai­lable on their web-site, www.ancientiran.com, states the publica­tion and notes that every donor’s name will be mentioned on the building.