Congress voices

(The articles appear in alphabetical order as per the authors’ surnames)

"Understand the differences”

Shahin Bekhradnia

The Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress was a cosy, intimate affair compared to the last one in 2000 at Houston five years ago. Apart from the first weekend which took place mainly at the Wembley Conference Centre, all the sessions and receptions took place at the newly established home of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, the Zartoshty Brothers Hall, a beautifully restored Art Deco cinema, now serving as the cultural and religious center for the UK community.

It was a great achievement with the diversity of countries of origin such that the UK delegates only made up one third of the attendees. This of course meant that the Congress was indeed international even though overall numbers were perhaps somewhat lower than one would have hoped, with not more than 350 attendees during the daytime sessions. Nevertheless, the organizers had clearly gone to enormous trouble to get the event up and running and all things considered, it went pretty well.

Of course there were the usual minor glitches such as someone forgetting to put up a simple notice at the Wembley Conference Centre to notify guests that the venue location had changed for the inauguration day. Result: disgruntled guests from the US and Iran who wasted their first day trying to find out where to go and what to do. But we are all human and the organizers certainly did their best to anticipate what was needed.

As a member of the Iranian diaspora it was exciting to meet up again with some Iranian friends and family who had not been seen since the revolution and it was very satisfying to have the opportunity to meet for the first time certain people whose names we had heard but not got to know including our recently elected MP, a mobed, which was a first for our community. Many of these delegates from Iran had brought their teenage or slightly older children so there was certainly a good mix also assured in the youth sessions.

However one of the comments regularly made among the Iranians was a resentment that there were no professional interpreting services which had also been a repeated criticism of the last Congress. The result of this absence meant that the Iranians felt they were ghettoized in Farsi-only sessions which segregated them and meant their views were not reaching the wider audience of Parsi delegates. While it is recognized that interpreting is an expense, the delegates who pay their money in good faith felt they were not able to benefit fully from their presence at the Congress and have asked that their comments should not go unheeded once again at the next conference.

It was an excellent idea to organize two evening receptions, Parsi Nite and Persian Nite, where some of the cultural differences were clearly noticeable. This ranged from the costumes worn, the food eaten, language spoken and the style of dancing and of course other subtle nuances of behavior and entertainment. While we have all been taught to celebrate cultural diversity, the diversity is also reflected in some fundamental differences of thinking about matters Zoroastrian and not just in outward form.

Which brings me to a theme dear to my heart! It seems to me that throughout the conference the issue of radically different interpretations by the two traditions, Iranian and Parsi, of principles relating to marriage and offspring, initiations and conversions, were not really dealt with. Instead they were pussyfooted around for fear of causing schism, rift, offence, etc. So, issues that are central to the discussion for creating a World Body — such as what criteria do we use to assess a Zoroastrian’s claim to such an identity? — were not discussed in detail in public sessions. However there was some attempt to address the issue of demographics and the falling Parsi population which naturally impinged on these discussions.

Having witnessed youth conferences demanding explanations for the differences in viewpoint between the Parsi orthodoxy and the contemporary Iranian position, it would have been courageous and timely for the organizing committee to feature these themes among the many historical talks which were the focus of the Congress. In doing so, it would have made the London Congress radical, controversial and memorable and could have provided a forum for a civilized and balanced exchange where for once the views of the Iranian delegates may have been heard and appreciated. The difficulty of course is the difference between what an Iranian is prepared to say privately and in public, where they can be seen and reported.

As for the World Body, we desperately need one if only to help represent those who fall foul of immigration authorities. The community would command so much more influence and respect if we really became known via one body — but it has to be one that actually can represent the diversity of opinion and belief within our community. This means that it has to be tolerant and not be run by people whose egos and eagerness to be leaders in the limelight becomes the sole motivating factor. These sorts tend to be men… perhaps we women should take over as did the women of Athens in Aristophanes’ comedy Lysistrata, to stop the war! We would apply more common sense and look for consensus more fruitfully than our men appear to have managed so far…

It was certainly enriching and beneficial to meet delegates both old and young who come from a different background tradition to one’s own. By speaking to new acquaintances who share the same label ‘Zoroastrian’ we can broaden our understanding of why and how such differences have come to exist. Should we try to streamline ourselves or allow these cultural differences to manifest and perpetuate themselves or are we looking for homogeneity? That is one of the several questions facing our communities. As yet no common resolutions have been adopted.

With a post graduate degree from Oxford, Shahin Bekhradnia is a Justice of Peace - Magistrate and appears regularly as expert witness in UK immigration appeals involving Iranian Zoroastrians.

A rudderless community?

Behram Dastur

For a good part, the programs at the Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress followed the syndicated approach (of having parallel programs which were held in different suites, at the Wembley Convention Centre). Naturally, the attendees got fragmented, in smaller groups and the impact of some important presentations got heavily diluted. That was not the case when the deliberations were held, one at a time at the Zoroastrian Centre, at Rayners Lane.

Those who host such congresses should bear this fact in mind and hire out convention centres which can accommodate say 2,000 persons at a time. That was a major structural weakness of this Congress and of the one at Houston in 2000.

Dwelling on the past (and basking in its glory) is a good tool — up to a point. I feel that no more than 10 percent of the time should be reserved for all that has passed into history.

The strength of this Congress lay in its hospitality, organizing ability and sticking, most of the time, to the schedules.

Any conference/congress has to dwell, predominantly, on what remains to be done, say, over the next 20 - 25 (if not more) years. It should be a road map, with several alternative roads and routes. There’s never one answer for a socio-economic task, on a global scale.

Apart from a meaningful discussion on the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce, outlining the ways and means to promote self-employment, there wasn’t any weighment of the problems, of an enormous size, facing our community, except for a talk, in one room, on factionalism, fundamentalism and interfaith marriages/declining numbers. These problems are staring us in the face, since the past 20 to 50 years. There should have been an animated discussion on all the three issues — but nothing of the sort happened!

I felt that the Congress didn’t give the community a multi-pronged direction that it needed. Even the Seventh Congress didn’t do it. I left the Seventh and the Eighth Congresses with a feeling that the mighty ship of our community was rudderless!

As our community is spread over five continents, there should have been separate discussions (but not in separate rooms) on the regional problems, seeking regional solutions. That didn’t happen.

Our racial genetics were considerably evident, but our religious identity was heavily diluted. Ninety percent of girls and women wore no sudrehs (and kustis). I told one head priest and one priest, about that waywardliness and I was told "To each his own!” I told them that instead of issuing "fatwahs” about the world body, the Athornan Mandal (of which they are members) should issue an advisory about the urgent need to wear our sudrehs and kustis. I don’t think that the suggestion sank in.

There was a democratic discussion on this 40-year old topic, which remained as unresolved as ever! It’s a shame that 150,000 Parsis can’t have a World Body (WB), whereas 80,000,0000 Hindus have had a WB (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) in place for several years.

One delegate was so disgusted with the gallant opposition of Khojeste Mistree that he felt WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis) meant ‘Weird Association of Parsi Irani Zombies!’ We have reached a limit where paralysis has set in after chronic analyses of 40 years.

Unless we have a WB, we will be left voiceless in the comity of nations. It’s a pity (and a reflection on our pettiness) that as a community we are grotesquely disunited to our own detriment. (BPP chairman) Minoo Shroff had to interject and call a halt to the way in which the discussions were being recorded.

I feel that it is a waste of time, effort and money to hold such congresses, unless there’s a demonstratable will to come up with solutions to the mega problems of a microscopic community.

Chief Executive Officer of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, Behram Dastur had 31 years’ experience with multinationals in materials, systems and corporate development. His last position was as a senior general manager (materials) with Burroughs Well­come (India) Limited. He represented the chemicals and drug industries before the finance and commerce ministries on tariff issues.

Evolving strategies

Dr Homi Dhalla

Scanning the program of the Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress, I felt that there was greater emphasis on past events and our history. True, discussions on our history are necessary but there should have been a larger canvas of contemporary issues. To cite one example, although demography was included in the program, it did not receive the attention it deserved. In my presentation, which was before a small group, I pointed out that 18 months back there were about 29 defunct anjumans in India, today there are about 40! This shows how grave the situation is. I also discussed some solutions and what was already being done. Though the matter did come up in the open forum, sufficient time was not devoted to discuss strategies to face this serious challenge. To my mind, this is the most important problem facing the community today and this opportunity should have been seized to discuss the various dimensions of the problem and its solutions. As participants were encouraged to come up with suggestions to combat this problem, there were some who were recording them. I sincerely hope that serious efforts are made to implement some of these suggestions in the near future.

Thursday, June 30 was earmarked as the World Body Day in the program. For some, it was the main event of the Congress and they were gearing up for it. For those who did not know the background, enough information was initially provided by the speakers. Later, the participants were asked to break up into smaller groups for discussing various aspects of the World Body (WB). As a little heat was generated in a few groups it enabled one to let off steam. This also provided an opportunity to all the participants to express their views on this much-debated issue.

Although no tangible progress was made in this matter, three positive factors emerged from these discussions. Firstly, there was a clear agreement amongst the majority of the participants that there was certainly a need for a WB — and this was an encouraging sign. Secondly, the Iranian representatives were also supporting the move in the formation of a truly representative global body. Thirdly, the main architects who had put in years of effort were not disillusioned by the outcome but were prepared to go back to the drawing board and make the necessary changes. I am sanguine that these are pragmatic and forward-looking persons who will make it happen. There is no dearth of intellectual capital in our community to mold this idea into reality.

It was heartening to meet about 80 Zoroastrians from Iran. From their presentations, one obtained first-hand information about the present situation of Zoroastrians in Iran. Due to the language barrier, unfortunately many of them could not participate fruitfully in the deliberations. Simultaneous translation facility should have been provided at the Congress for the Iranian delegates.

Rukshana Nanji, a brilliant archeologist who has been working on the Sanjan excavations made a very interesting slide presentation. This generated a lot of interest in the excavations. We plan to send the bones from a dakhma site to a world famous laboratory in Oxford for accurate dating. This would help us to know more precise dates about our landing and presence at Sanjan — possibly enabling us to rewrite the early history of the Parsis with greater precision. It was heartening to know that the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) had already collected $ 1,200 for this purpose and more help came forward from the participants to the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation (WZCF) when I spoke about the importance of this project.

On the second last day, I was asked to show the film on the various cultural activities of the WZCF. This generated a great deal of interest and within minutes all the DVDs were sold out. But for me, the icing on the cake was the donation of $ 10,000 to the Foundation announced by Tahamtan Aresh of California. For a moment I could not believe it, but it was true! This was the most rewarding moment for me at the London Congress.

I believe, that to some degree the success of a congress depends on the follow-up measures that are implemented after it. In this case, I do hope that concrete measures are taken on two fronts — firstly in the formation of a World Body and the implementation of a few solutions that would help at least to some extent, our demographic problem.

Founder president of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation and a scholar of Zoroastrianism, Dr Homi Dhalla has represented the community at various international conferences and interfaith meets. Among the community projects he is involved in are the conservation of Bahrot caves, the Sanjan excavation, documentation of Parsi history and the introduction of solar concentrators at Bombay’s Doongerwadi.

"Reverse the damage”

Zahrina Kolah

This was the first Congress I have ever attended and was excited at the prospect of meeting fellow Zarathushtis from different parts of the world and learning more about our religion. I must say it was a tremendous experience. One positive outcome I have gained from the Congress is the reaffirmation of thirst I now have for our religion and community.

The opening ceremony of the Congress was held in their impressive new hall in Harrow, as were many of the proceedings. Many learned speakers graced the occasion. I was particularly impressed by the speakers during the youth session. They articulated their thoughts, shared their experiences and spoke with conviction about our religion, traditions, and customs.

Many topics were touched on during various lectures. However, the interactive sessions usually circled around three contentious issues that affect the core of our religion, traditions and most importantly our identity; namely, intermarriage, conversion and the forming of a representative World Body. During the interactive sessions many suggestions were made, and I do sincerely hope that some form of positive action is taken after all the talk that transpired.

Our community holds a rich and powerful history. Its religion is the oldest in the world and we certainly look back with pride at the achievements and glory of our forefathers. Our community today unfortunately wants to do away with the traditions of the past and move "forward with the times.” Another favorite catch phrase I often heard at the conference was, "open your mind.” Were our forefathers close minded? Evidence shows that our forefathers were very open minded and progressive. However, they knew where and when to draw the line. It is their legacy that has been carrying the community for so many years.

In my opinion there is a lot of ignorance and apathy within our community and I would go so far as to say that sadly, it is usually the older generation that holds these views. More so, the older generation residing outside of India, who in a sense have lost their own sense of direction and identity in terms of our religion and traditions, although they may be very well qualified in their own fields.

The World Body (WB) discussion day was certainly very interesting. The organizers sought to ascertain views from the attendees on various aspects pertaining to the constitution. Many heated debates transpired, as this is an issue close to the hearts of most Zarathushtis, regardless of their commitment to the religion or community. No consensus was reached, as divergent views on eligibility and membership were highly prevalent. During the youth sessions, discussions on the forming of a WB also took place. One view expressed was that we should adopt two models. One for people who wish to continue to follow a traditional path forged by our forefathers and second, a more reformist model for those who wish to alter the religion to suit their ever changing needs. Perhaps this is the way to maintain our identity for future generations to enjoy, as we have had the privilege to do so. Another point to consider is that the maximum population of Zarathushtis in the world is in India. All the other countries put together in terms of population will not equal the number of Zarathushtis in India. Hence, logic demands that we seriously study the impact this move will have on our fellow Zarathushtis in India. That a WB will one day be formed, I have no doubt. Will it be formed with the best interests of the wider community in mind? I have my reservations.

The trend towards "opening your mind” and "changing with the times” is gaining speed. The direction towards which the international community is heading, is alarming. As I mentioned earlier, our younger generation will carry us into the future. The caliber of young Zarathushti youth with the knowledge, skills and positive energy is truly heartening. With further education, I am confident that some of the damage can be reversed. We must look to rejuvenate our community and preserve our identity. After all, no one can survive without a true identity.

Born in Tokyo of Zarathushti parents, early childhood in Hong­kong and Singapore, Zahrina Kolah has been living in New Zealand for the last 18 years. She is an active member of the Traditional Mazdayasni Zarathushtee Anjuman of New Zealand, and is currently the president of the anjuman. She is a teacher by profession. She recently completed a Master of Education degree with honors from the University of Auckland.

"It cleared my mind”

Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal

The Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress was, for me, an eye-opening and soul-searching experience. I realized that the trouble with most of us is that while a lot of us profess to follow our religion, not many of us are good at it.

The venue of the conference was fabulous. A heritage structure refurbished to its former glory (and more) is indeed something the London Zoroastrians and all those who helped to make it a reality should be proud of. Mehraban Zartoshty and his family cannot be thanked enough for their generosity and dedication. I had the pleasure of speaking to him and a few members of his family and the one single trait that truly impressed me was their humility. How different were these people from some of our pontificating, bombastic, arrogant brethren! But then, as someone once said, "arrogance is the humility of the uncertain.”

I had always prided myself on being a member of a forward-thinking, open-minded community, concerned for the well-being, and survival of our ancient culture, religion and fellow Zoroastrians. I have had to seriously revise my opinion.

I learnt that statistics, facts, reality, have all been put on the back-burner. Some of us are just not willing to accept the fact that if we continue to follow this madness that we are indulging in, we shall surely wipe ourselves off the face of this earth. And then, "Parsis, we are pure, Parsis, we are sure” (a song sung with much gusto at the Congress) will take on a whole new meaning. A glance at the last issue of Parsiana’s list of marriages says it all!

The duration of the Congress was a trifle long. Eight days could have been shortened to four days. It was not possible for delegates to attend each and every talk, dis­cussion, etc. And at the end of the eight days I am sure that the organizers (who did a marvellous job) were ready for the psychiatrist’s couch! I was, after attending a few of these discussions, where statements to the effect that ‘we should take over Iran and restore our great religion to its former glory’ were made. "My God!” I thought, "are the inmates running the asylum!” I think it was the delegate from Switzerland who pointed out that even to say something like that would put our fellow Zarathushtis in Iran at great peril.

I am neither a scholar nor a student of Zoroastrianism. I try to question those who are and then arrive at my own conclusions. After listening to those whose opinions I respect, I think it is imperative that we form a World Body at the earliest. We have wasted enough time in talking and discussing. It is now time to act if we have the common good of our fellow Zoroastrians at heart. It is a sorry state of affairs that such a move was stalled. Those for the plan should go ahead with it and those who do not wish to join should be allowed the pleasure of not doing so. A firm stand has to be taken by everyone concerned, including our Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustees. Why do we vacillate and hesitate? No great thought was ever made into a reality by those whose main aim was to win a popularity contest.

What I found amazing was that the high priests were not there in full numbers. What earth-shaking and pressing engagements kept them away? Or is it that they did not want to face embarrassing questions and take a stand on issues of great magnitude to all of us? They have wavered and vacillated on several issues and sent out mixed messages to the community. They encouraged the navjote of adult non-Parsis and denounced the navjotes of children born to Parsi mothers and non-Parsi fathers. And no one has held them accountable. That is what is wrong with us. We are so engrossed in our own selfish little world that we have stopped asking questions. We have stopped thinking for ourselves and are allowing our religion to be manipulated and ourselves to be misguided by those who say, "Don’t question me/us. Just do as I/we say.” One of the worst disasters, the holocaust, took place because of such people.

The highlight of the Congress for me was the opportunity I had to meet some wonderful people like Zerbanoo and Richard Gifford, Pari and Dariush Irani, Shehnaz and Dorab Mistry, Dr Munshi, Ratan Buhariwala, Dolly and Hoshang Khambatta and the delegates from Iran (what a gracious, humble and learned lot they were!), USA, Canada and England and to exchange views and ideas with them. From India, I met and got to know Homai Modi, Nawaz Mody, Rukshana Nanji, Arnavaz Mama, Sheroo Master, Dinshaw Tamboly, Villoo and Minoo Shroff and Jimmy Mistry. Rukshana Nanji amazed me with her knowledge of archeology and through that, Zoroastrianism. I sat transfixed as she narrated her experiences while unearthing the Parsi settlement in Sanjan. She told me about her dream to convert the site into a walk-through museum, where one could actually walk through the 1,000-year old ruins of the dakhma, the pier where our forefathers landed and other structures. Right now, she said, that’s just what it is, a dream. I found it amazing that she cannot raise Rs 10 lakhs to do so.

I am glad I attended the Congress. It cleared my mind of the cobwebs of doubt and confusion that I had been riddled with. I am asked the question as to where I think the Parsis are headed in this century... and my reply is, ‘As of today, nowhere!’ You cannot be going anywhere if you refuse to move out of the rut that you have been in and move ahead with the times. That’s what made us special years ago, when we moved with the times (in fact, we were ahead of those times!) while the others were still floundering in the mire of orthodoxy, superstition and illiteracy.

I am eagerly awaiting the coming of the new messiah who will tie us all with a single rope and pull us out of this deep hole that we have dug for ourselves. Dadar Ahura Mazda, may that day be not far away!

Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal is a leading thespian from Bom­bay, well known for her stand-up comedy acts and other solo performances.

True beliefs

Farhang Mehr

Praise and admiration was my first reaction to Dorab Mistry and the organizing Committee of the Eighth World Zoro­astrian Congress (8WZC) 2005 in London. Those who have been involved in setting up an international conference of this magnitude, appreciate the amount of mental and physical energy that went into it.

The inauguration of the Zoroastrian Centre of Europe, at the splendid auditorium constructed through the generous donation of the two brothers, Faridoon and Mehraban Zartoshty added to the success of the Congress. Similarly, reserving a number of rooms at reasonable rate in the vicinity of the Congress center for the convenience of the participants made the experience a pleasant one. The slight discomfort caused by the occasional unpunctuality of the shuttle buses can be avoided in future events by greater supervision and foresight of the organizers.

Regarding the contents of the Congress, the topics and the number of speakers exceeded the available and allocated time. Consequently, the speakers could not do justice to their subjects and the audience lacked an opportunity to ask questions. Adequate time for questions and answers after each presentation is imperative in the context of World Zoroastrian Congresses. My experience has proved that the organizers dislike discussions on hot issues even if such open discussion is of vital importance to the community. Therefore, sensitive and incendiary matters are pushed under the carpet even when they require an urgent resolution. The 8WZC was no exception. Important subjects such as the acceptance of converted Zarathushtis, the issue of a World Zoroastrian Body, the needs of the Zoroastrian youth, ways to prevent the dwindling of the Zoroastrian population and equal treatment of genders were not addressed in a profound or meaningful way.

Communal congresses and gatherings differ from scholarly conferences and seminars. In the former speakers should refrain from reading from a written text that can become monotonous and boring to most of the audience who come from all walks of life. Also the speakers should be versed in social, sectarian and ethnic controversies and skilled in expressing their views with clarity.

Concurrent sessions on the second, third and fourth days offered the audience an opportunity to discuss more specialized, localized or regionalized topics. Also, this gave Iranians who are not versed in English the opportunity to conduct the meeting in the Persian language. The question of simultaneous translation from English to Persian and vice versa is an important logistic issue. Except for the Sixth World Zoroastrian Congress which was held in the state conference center in Tehran which was uniquely well-equipped with a simultaneous translation system, it is difficult to ensure that the Congress meets the needs of non-English speakers.

In addition, the decision on the choice of Dubai as the locus of the next WZCongress was made in haste. For financial and political reasons, a search for another place would have been more advantageous. This is especially the case given the historical and political issues surrounding the Gulf. During the regime of the Shah, there was a dispute over the name of the Persian Gulf. Arab states which argued that the area was the "Arabian Gulf,” returned envelopes bearing the address "Persian Gulf” to their senders. Similarly, the Iranian government had a policy of returning envelopes marked "Arabian Gulf.” To resolve the problem, the more pragmatic oil companies invented the term "Gulf.” Although the territorial and historical disputes involving this area have not yet been resolved, I hope that the controversy does not make the organizing of our Congress more difficult.

In the course of the World Zoroastrian Congress, both Parsi and Iranian participants usually raise the following questions: what is the purpose of these costly congresses and what have been our achievements so far?

My answer is a great deal — spiritually, intellectually and materially.

Spiritually, we have become more conscious of the richness of our religion and culture and its contribution to humanity in the areas of world peace, human rights, freedom of choice and protection of environment. We have become aware of the contribution of our culture and history to the advancement and betterment of the world.

Intellectually, we have come to know more about each other, our past history, our struggles and our shared hope for the future. I believe I am the only living participant from the First World Zoroastrian Congress of 1960 in Tehran. I have been fortunate in attending subsequent World Zoroastrian Congresses. I have been pleased in noticing greater interaction and "hamazoori” between Iranian Zarathushtis and Parsis in the latter Congresses. This has been partly because more Iranians are now English speakers and partly because increased interaction has mutually brought about greater familiarity with customs, attitudes, cuisine and beliefs of the Parsis and Iranians.

Finally, materially, as a result of these Congresses, we have learned more about the economic, social and community needs of Zoroastrians. Consequently, people like Arbab Rostam and Morvarid Guiv, Faridoon Zartoshty and Mehraban Zartoshty, Mehraban and Goli Farhangi have donated the bulk of the money needed for the construction of our centers all over the world. In this respect, I must recognize the generosity of other Zarasthushti Iranis who have contributed their time, energy and finances to the creation of our religious centers, particularly in Los Angeles.

The issue of the creation of a world body (WB) was first misunderstood by a great many Parsi and Iranian Zoroastrians. Through the years, Zoroastrians have come to realize the importance of a WB for the future of our community. In the past 15 years, much effort was made by Rumi Sethna and other directors of WZO of London, Rohinton Rivetna and other leaders of FEZANA, Adi Davar, Prof Kaikhosrov Irani and me to have the final text of a constitution approved and recognized. It is regrettable that a select group, which had no part in negotiation of the final text of this project, was able to prevent its final adoption, despite the fact that the final text had been approved by all representative organizations and had wide support. I am optimistic that this issue will be resolved by dialog.

The divergence of opinion in our community does not bother me at all. This is a sign of vitality, care for our religion and our community. These diverse views exist in all communities. Differences should be resolved through dialog and not divisiveness and shortsighted enmity. As Zoroastrians, we must unite with all our co-religionists and indeed all good people of the world in order to advance humanity. This is the meaning of "hamazoori” in our daily prayer. Instead of being aggressively defensive against those who attack our culture and religion, we must spread the truth of our beliefs as embodied in the concept of "good thoughts, good words and good deeds.” We must tell the world that it was Cyrus the Great, who authored the first charter of human rights and Darius the Great, who institutionalized justice, both thus putting their religion into practice. We must respect the value of the goodwill which we have inherited from our ancestors. The good name that our ancestors have passed on to us was established through practicing Asha and respecting Vohuman, through constructive and innovative work and through compassion and benevolence. We should remember their efforts in approaching the current dilemmas of our community as well as our daily lives. I am certain that Zoroastrianism will not only survive the challenges of this century but will make significant contributions to humanity in the years ahead.

Professor Emeritus of International Relations at Boston University, Far­hang Mehr led the Tehran Zartushty Anju­man for 12 years, was Iran’s Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Chancellor of Shiraz University.

"Humdins wall to wall”

Firdosh Mehta

The G-10 (World Body group of 10 international representatives) met with Khojeste Mistree (one more time) to explore the possibility of convergence, but we heard the same arguments and stance, even more strongly: If no Parsi/Zoroastrian definition at all levels —no support for World Body (WB).

The G-10 met with four senior leaders from Iran, a very fortunate event. We explained the WB structure which we are working on. They showed much interest, were very encouraging, but understandably reserved judgments or commitments, until they read the draft documents of the WB with their colleagues in Iran, which I have promised to send them by the end of this month.

The full day WB open discussion was programed as a "conversation between two friends,” Khorshed Jungal­wala and Farrokh Mistree, later joined by Sarosh Collector and Homi Gandhi (FEZANA WB ad-hoc committee ) to go over aspects of the WB developments.

The audience was divided into smaller groups, given many topics related to the WB and they conducted a workshop, which of course gave everybody the opportunity to participate in the process. Then the G-12 leaders (G-10 plus two Iranian representatives) were asked to come to the stage and presentations were invited from Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI), Iran, World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO), Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) and Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA). Khojeste was also invited to the stage to present the traditional perspective and their concerns regarding the world body formation and he gave us a presentation on the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarathoshtis (WAPIZ). Farrokh, as expected, did a super job of leading us through the motions and emotions of the process.

Obviously there were requests from some people (not from Khojeste) to invite WAPIZ to join the WB. As per the promotional brochure distributed by Khojeste regarding WAPIZ, it was abundantly clear that it was formed to thwart the WB under consideration at present. So the possibility of WAPIZ joining the WB was not envisaged and hence that matter was not expounded. Even though the WAPIZ brochure does promote itself by derogatory remarks about FEZANA on the very first page, which to my knowledge are misrepresented, I had extremely cordial discussions and respectful exchange of our perspectives with Khojeste and his wife Firoza, and we agreed to disagree on many issues in a very friendly and reasoned manner, even when I pointed out the reference on the WAPIZ brochure. Sometimes I think he (like many others) gets a bad rap for the actions of others, who he may have nothing to do with, except have a common like-mindedness. This is an unfair fallout of any development process and is very unproductive for our community. Many of us in the community limelight have to face such quick unwarranted judgmental remarks. But, such is life.

My take on the Congress otherwise was a good program, some lacunae in logistics and transport, venue changes that caused confusion, but overall a wonderful experience. The visits to the museum, library, university, parliament, School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) and the associated special programs, displays and scholar hosts with discussions and receptions, were a highlight that will stay with us for a lifetime. I personally am very thankful to Dorab Mistry, Malcolm Deboo, all the ZTFE volunteers, especially Rusi Dalal for the extra care and hospitality to make my stay memorable. The evening dinners were excellent and the food supply during the days was plenty and delicious. The ZTFE hosts were always kind and generous to us. Their Centre is also unique and grand and the atash kadeh very impressive and traditional. We had humdins wall to wall and lots of hamazori.

I met so many earlier known and new community members from all over the world, some young and some not so young, all full of camaraderie. Especially, I met four out of the five young scholar-students, the recipients of the FEZANA Mobed Faridoon Zartoshty Religious Education Scholarships. Meeting these wonderful young Zarathushtis dedicating their lives to the higher study of our ancient religion put me in seventh heaven. Our young achievers are second to none, all we have to do is give them our best support.

The next world congress is planned in Dubai chaired by Meher Besania in 2009/2010 and we all can plan for a successful meet.

The next world youth congress in Ballarat, Australia was announced with a lot of information handouts. We would like to support this event with all the strength we can muster. Please sponsor and support as many young Zarathushtis to attend this Down Under but high on Z-spirit congress. The volunteer committee (the Mistrys and others) is working very diligently to make it a resounding success.

What next on the world body? We made notes from all the inputs we got from various meetings and went over and over the drafts again and again to ensure we were looking after the interests of as many suggestions we possibly could without derailing the course of action we have before us.

Based on all the mark-ups, it is now my task to update the International Zoroastrian Organization (IZO), World Zoroastrian Organization of Federations (WZOF) and World Zoroastrian Organization of Individuals (WZOI) drafts by end of July and send them to the G-12.

We will then await the outcome of the presentations of these to the various member associations of FPZAI and from the international board of WZO, over the next two to three months. Hopefully we will get positive responses and then we will send out the documents to FEZANA member associations for their final ballot. We will give at least three months for all associations to present these to their members and respond. I plead with all associations to please respond. We hope you will respond in the affirmative.

The London Congress was an excellent example of peace and harmony! It is sad to note that such an illustrious community has such fundamental differences in the understanding of the bottom line tenets of our faith. This is a situation created by our past; hopefully our future will be more harmonious.

An engineer by profession, Firdosh Mehta is in his fourth year as president of FEZANA, a body he had helped found.

"So little time!"

Shirin J. Mistry

I caught up with dear old friends and made several new ones and listened to all those great speakers once more, making it worth my while. As expected, my favorite Englishman, Prof John Hinnells going beyond the call of duty against all doctor’s orders, turned up to launch his latest book — God bless him! I’m sorry if I missed hobnobbing with any one in particular amongst those 500 Zoroastrians from various nations and climes, which moved the mayor of Harrow to remark, to great applause, upon the sheer quality of such a roll call of honor present in one place, proving it was always quality over quantity that we Zoroastrians exemplified. I did get a chance to polish up on a few phrases in Persian, more to the Iranians’ delight than my own edification! Needless to say a smile speaks a universal language and takes one anywhere — and boy, have I traveled far and wide amongst our own people in those few days in that magnificent city of my childhood dreams and adolescent fantasies! London was beautifully in blossom for us and for all those June brides!

Three-fourths of the executive board of the Fourth World Zoroastrian Youth Congress 2007, was there to spread the word about the Congress (one quarter being left behind to hold the fort or do the dishes, whichever sounds more exacting!) We had gone to London with a specific thought in mind. With our constant interaction with the wonderfully friendly attendees, and the bright and lively posters and the give-away brochures, I think by now the whole world knows and our mission was accomplished. The only real disappointment being that the power point presentation, on which the delegated president had painstakingly worked, could not be shown, as the organizers, as happened often, ran out of time, yet again! It was indeed a bitter blow to be informed at the very last moment that we had either five minutes or none at all! It was a shame but like true troopers our show had to go on! So we accepted with alacrity and found ourselves rushing through in efforts to enlighten all and my hoped for trilingual speech of welcome got shelved except for a "Khush amadeed!”

Some daily programs were an overload of choice – with several simultaneous sessions and one was sometimes torn between four lovers, leave alone two! Priorities sometimes meant rushing from one late lecture to another venue and disturbing speakers who had already started on their presentations. Tossing a coin was out of the question and once I missed out on two because it was too late to attend either, since the previous speaker had not thought to look at his watch and stop within the allocated time — one man even claiming that since no University had paid his bills he deserved to keep on speaking, never mind the lady who was to follow and who politely refrained from completing her meticulously prepared lecture to our instant displeasure! The rushed, extra visit to the British Library was worth every moment spent ogling at their fabulous collection. Time set aside for discussions on the formation of a world body proved we are certainly not ready yet for one, especially if one doesn’t know what the definition of a Zoroastrian is going to be and several thousand Parsi-Iranis who have joined WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis) already, are certainly against joining any world body that simply does not spell out the inclusion of our Parsi-Irani ethnic identity, from the very start. What is right for the religion is what I want to see, not what one wants for one’s own individual self!

Unity and tradition — the calls for these were heard all too often. The best sessions were seeing our youngsters blossoming forth with firm voices and total control over their subject matter — one simply had to admire their courage in not wavering even in the face of some thoroughly ridiculous opposition from obnoxious adults wanting to pound their own beliefs into the youth. It was also gratifying to hear sensible adults being very supportive and one lady from London even declared that all who thought that the Gathas were all there was to the Zoroastrian religion had no idea about real Zoroastrianism! As Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia made people understand if the Gathas were all, we may as well never have a single religious ceremony including a navjote, geh sarna, nirangdin, jashans, or gahambars, Amesha Spentas et al and let’s all forget the simplest tenets of the whole religion for nowhere do the Gathas even mention "good thoughts, good words, good deeds” that the whole world knows, Zoroastrianism stands for! If we get rid of our traditions we get rid of our past and we’ll have no future left to worry about! Accept alien ideas to dilute and destroy true Zoroastrianism! The messages came through loud and clear!

Oh I thoroughly enjoyed myself – especially when an irate woman came up to me to ask if I knew anything about our religion and then went on to ask if I had ever heard of or read any translations of the five Avestas! I was aghast to see her husband, a priest, taking a video of the audience even as he was supposed to be praying during the Fasli Tirangan Jashan on the stage! With such care and devotion for the religion and its practises no wonder their kids grow up so thoroughly religiously unenlightened! To achieve any sense of unity within our community, all Zoroastrians need to learn about our religion of birth, so that no Johnny-come-lately can cause disruption to the smooth running of any of our religious practises, traditions and customs.

Meeting all our young high achievers was another great joy! A master chef (Cyrus Todiwalla), and a master brewer (Karan Billimoria) – both live up to our ancient habits of eat, drink and be merry and above all, excel! They each spoke of how they got to the summit of success and all through came across with humility, a sense of humor and best of all, firm belief in religious values! It was my pleasure to meet them. They sure make the world realize we are never going to become a footnote in the pages of history. As was expected, the more polished scholars/teachers certainly were a pleasure to listen to, as usual.

But like a breath of fresh air, it was the youth who made my day! They are positive, spirited, have their feet firmly on the ground and know exactly what they want for their own tomorrows. Rather than ever fearing that they may let us down, I pray that we, the adults never let them down! We owe it to them to pass on all the triumphs of our past and help them create their own glorious futures! I rest all my faith for the future of Zoroastrianism in the hands of those highly educated youth who had the guts to stand up to all those radical elements, some going through hell and high water, for what they whole heartedly believed in, and wanted to achieve, and have! And for wanting to always "preserve, practice and perpetuate” our religion, I salute them!

Founding member and past president of the Zoroastrian Association of Victoria, Australia, Shirin J. Mistry took Sunday School for seven years without a break. Currently the honorary secretary of the 4th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress to be held at the University of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia in December 2007, she had organized Khojeste P. Mistree’s Austral Asian lecture tours and seminars in Melbourne.

Divergence ahead

Dr Jesse S. Palsetia

The Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress afforded a valuable opportunity to gauge issues of concern to Zoroastrians from around the world, and to reacquaint oneself with old friends and make new contacts and friends among Zoroastrians and non-Zoroastrians since the last Congress in Houston, USA. The Congress was a mixture of many elements aimed to appeal to the delegates and canvass issues concerning the world Zoroastrian community. The delegates came from many centers around the world, with the largest contingent after the UK being North America. Iranian Zoroastrians were particularly well represented at the Congress.

The new Zartoshty Brothers Hall is a truly beautiful center with both an auditorium and religious facilities. It combines the multipurpose facilities that have become the hallmark of Zoroastrian centers in Europe and North America.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Congress was the interaction and interplay among Zoroastrians of Parsi and Iranian backgrounds. The Congress sought to balance the time devoted to Parsi and Iranian issues and representatives. English was the medium of communication during the Congress, though Farsi was often used to communicate to unilingual Iranian delegates. One of the most profound moments was the reading of a poem in Farsi on the universal appeal and significance of the message of Prophet Zarathushtra. It was clearly evident that the love of the message of Zarathushtra infused the activities of all the delegates. Parsi and Iranian delegates attended sessions devoted to each other’s specific concerns evincing how much of one spirit the world Zoroastrian community is for the well-being of the whole community.

Traditionalist and progressive viewpoints and agendas were also present at the Congress. A session was organized to highlight the very important concerns that face the world Zoroastrian community and canvass suggestions from delegates on the future course for the community. Specifically, the delegates sought to devise a plan that entailed providing a blueprint on the admission of converts to the community. It was suggested that first and foremost a basic understanding of the Zoroastrian message and theology be devised to teach Zoroastrianism to potential converts. The audience proved the most insightful in noting the difficulties in devising a single definition of what Zoroastrianism is given its long and fragmented history. A wise and insightful comment from the audience noted that perhaps Zoroas­trianism need not be held to any single, rigid standard and that like the adherents of Christianity and other great world faiths, Zoroastrians can vary and have a plurality of thought on how they understand and see their religion.

The Congress session approached the issue of conversion from the standpoint of making Zoroastrianism a religious ideology that could and should appeal to anyone. The session could have approached the issue from a more community-centered viewpoint — to devise general guidelines among those Zoroastrian communities that sought to integrate non-Zoroastrian spouses and the children born of Zoroastrian and non-Zoroastrian parents into the Zoroastrian community. Perhaps it is a measure of how much the latter circumstance has been ‘resolved’ in Zoroastrian centers outside India that the concern over conversion is no longer about ‘mixed’ marriages and children and now has shifted to the question of reviving the Zoroastrian community by way of accepting whomsoever seeks to convert to Zoroastrianism.

Traditionalist viewpoints were also present at the Congress. Some Indian delegates voiced the necessity to remain faithful to tradition, as they defined it, and to look to the past for lessons for the future. This sentiment was shared by many traditionalists from outside India as well. As has often been the case in previous congresses and meetings of the world Zoroastrian community it was once again evident that the more progressive and traditionalist segments of the community were not really interested in working together to shape the future of the Zoroastrian people through an appreciation of each other’s concerns and the desire for compromise. While the Congress proceedings remained punctiliously civil, there were divergent concerns. Identity politics and the desire to stake one’s own opinion to the exclusion of others remain as evident among Zoroastrians as among any other community in today’s world. To more objective observers this seems very unfortunate, as both progressives and traditionalists have historically played and will continue to play a very vital role for the future of Zoroastrian communities. This does not mean a compromising of fundamental values and beliefs; however, it does mean forsaking comfortable prejudices. The long history of Zoroastrians reflects that social adaptability and evolution is called for.

The various viewpoints, the desire to engage the community in discussion, including over contentious issues, at the Congress underscored how very important the future of the Zoroastrian community remains to so many Zoroastrians. It reflects that Zoroastrians refuse to see themselves as a ‘dying’ or ‘effete’ community, and that the spirit of Zoroastrianism will survive in one form or another among those committed to its preservation. The Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress and previous congresses reflect that Zoroastrians and Zoroastrian communities are thinking about and seeking to actively resolve issues and concerns relevant to Zoroastrians. The congresses reflect that there is a world Zoroastrian community that can meet and discuss civilly issues that affect Zoroastrians. At the same time, it is becoming quite apparent that perhaps the actual resolution to specific issues are taking the form of responses from local and regional Zoroastrian centers. I have observed that in the long history of the Zoroastrians of Iran and India great schism has been avoided in the interests of preserving the concept of one community. Ultimately, however, if Zoroastrianism is to continue to be a ‘living religion,’ Zoroastrian communities will take divergent courses and unique global Zoroastrian communities will emerge.

Dr Jesse S. Palsetia is assistant professor of history at the University of Guelph, Canada. He has written on the Parsis of India, British imperialism in India and the Indian response to imperial ideologies, and the social and intellectual environment of Bombay and western India in the 19th century.

Uneven fare

Tehmi Patel

Nearly 50 percent of attendance on day one of the Congress comprised Americans, 30 percent Iranians, with one Japanese girl studying Zoroastrian religion at Tokyo University and three percent of the home grown crowd.

The post lunch lectures were mundane and one had to be polite and listen to male dominated, male oriented, twisted personal interpretations of Zarathushtra’s beliefs, message and beautiful teachings. There was nothing new to learn as the lecture had been delivered many times before, or so it seemed.

The evening was resplendent with most Parsi ladies wearing their garas for the Parsi Night. The stage show presented was very vibrant having started with a gorgeous little girl reciting Ashem Vohu and admonishing in Gujarati, "Bhanti vakhate vaat nahi karvi (No talking during prayers).” We were privileged to have the Bombay bombshell Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal, the comedian who entertained us with some really great jokes, the new talent Shian Italia sang us some lovely love songs and all present wished him great success. A Michael Jackson double was superb. Of course there were some Gujarati songs and dances by beautifully clad young housewives.

The feast prepared by Farida Vohra was, as always, magnificent.

The two days at the Wembley Conference Centre presented such a concentration of lectures that I was pushed for choice. Each speaker presented her/his lecture in a wonderful, easy to understand way. The one that immediately comes to mind is on ‘The Shah-i Pariya sopra’ by Firoza Punthakey-Mistree. She was excellent, but alas! due to time constraint, could not finish her most interesting lecture. Thirty minutes per lecture was insufficient time as were the 10 minutes allocated for questions from the floor. Shaheen Bekhradnia delivered her lecture with great gusto. After so much mental exercise we looked forward to the Iranian Evening

The Zoroastrian Centre’s entrance was transformed. We were welcomed by some of the Iranian contingent resplendent in their colorful national clothes including two little girls who were there with rose water in a small jug and a mirror. The Iranian show was excellent. We enjoyed the music but felt quite deaf due to lack of understanding of the language. Some of the prayers were translated into English. The dinner was catered for by an Iranian restaurant. All the dishes were well prepared and delicious. The music was fantastic. A fine end to yet another day.

The discussion on the World Body (WB) was introduced by Farrokh Mistree and Khorshed Jungalwala who seemed to me were against its formation. F. Mistree told the story of "the king who wore no clothes” which to my way of thinking seemed totally disjointed to the task in hand. I wondered if it was a tactic to create confusion in peoples’ minds and felt extremely insulted when a hall full of adults were asked and I quote, "What did the little boy say?” to which most people replied softly, "The king wore no clothes” or to that effect. The speaker, feeling encouraged by this response, asked the same question again and wanted a louder response, to which I responded, we were adults and not to insult us by treating us like little children.

Representatives of various federations, associations and organizations spoke positively. Some believed they needed more time (despite all this being discussed over several years) to go forward with a clear understanding and a clear mind. One wonders how much clearer they would like to be to form a straightforward WB. Or is it that each head of organization, federation, association wants to know where he will be or what his position will be in the hierarchy? Surely all this will fall into place to each one’s advantage once they allow the International Zoroastrian Organization (IZO) to happen.

Then there was Khojeste Mistree with his World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarathoshtis (WAPIZ — in Urdu ‘wapiz’ means ‘again’) which allows children of Zoroastrian fathers and non-Zoroastrian mothers to have their navjote. Surely Mistree is being extremely sexist or is it that he is being accommodating to his family or that he is bowing down to the Indian High Court ruling? Also as one delegate and myself pointed out that as yet W (world) is missing from WAPIZ, as it is a local organization, formed locally, and hence should be called APIZ.

The summarizing of the session after much deliberation and discussion in small groups was once again taken on by F. Mistree who digressed completely from the task in hand i.e. summarizing and added his own negative thoughts into the proceedings, and yet again I reminded him that he was seeding thoughts in people’s minds. He was there to summarize and not there for addressing his own agenda. Minoo Shroff of Bombay shared my thoughts and expressed the same to F. Mistree on stage.

In the ensuing question-answer session one delegate suggested that we should follow the European Union’s example and scrap the whole concept of IZO and start afresh. My reply was that the EU may to some people’s way of thinking be defunct and as yet we the Zoroastrians are not and we should go forward with forming the IZO.

My conclusion to the above is that should such brilliant minds like Farhang Mehr, Rohinton Rivetna, Firdosh Mehta, Keki Gandhi, Minoo Shroff, Dinshaw Tamboly, Rumi Sethna, Rustom Dubash, Dorab Mistry, to name but a few that were put to use in conceiving this concept, still be dithering about its formation? I say go for it, get on and achieve your goal and go down in the annals of modern Zoroastrian history as the conceivers, propagators and team leaders who formed the IZO. If people want to join you then they need to do so on your terms. Live and let live.

I need to say a lot about the views of some of the younger generation which were almost Hitleresque. One young man claimed to be superior and I asked him superior to who? One wonders if he will, when he marries, treat his wife as a second class citizen. Only time will tell how these young people with such intense beliefs will cope with the future generations.

A well organized Congress thanks to Dorab Mistry, Pourush Jila, Rutton and Nilam Buhariwalla, Nergish and Kobad Avari, Kerman Munshi, Behroze Mody, Hoshi and Dolly Khambatta, Malcolm Deboo, Shahrokh and Simin Shahrokh, all our ervad sahebs from India, Iran and local ones and many many others who did so much work in the background. The memory lingers on…

Tehmi Patel is social secretary of the WZO.

These are her personal views.

"An opportunity lost”

Rohinton Rivetna

If World Zoroastrian Congresses are to be judged by the opportunity they provide our dispersed world community to come together in ‘hamazori,’ albeit for a few days, and bask in the joy of just being together – this Eighth World Congress in London was certainly a success. The organizers, under the leadership of Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) president Dorab Mistry, did a superb job of wining and dining the delegates, providing a scintillating array of speakers, and private guided trips to London sights (SOAS, the Houses of Parliament, Cambridge, the British Museum where it was a particular thrill to see the original Cyrus Cylinder, explained by none other than the curator of the Persian section, Vesta Curtis). The delegates, young and old, were no doubt amply entertained, educated and inspired. Besides, the organizers achieved a major coup showcasing the new Zoroastrian Centre in Harrow and the Zarathushti community to the mayor and local councilors in a very positive light.

As always at these Congresses, much of the action took place outside the formal Congress sessions. One such forum, was initial meetings of the proposed "Zoroastrian Scholars Society,” convened by Dr Pallan Ichaporia and Rohinton Rivetna.

But what, after all, is the legacy of this Congress?

The two days of assorted parallel panel sessions at the Wembley Conference Centre, while educational and interesting, could well be accomplished at a local seminar or a conference. Maybe in time we will come to the realization that the opportunity provided by a "once-in-four-years” World Congress should be utilized primarily to discuss issues of global import, and initiate actions and projects to address them.

We all know, of course, that there is no dearth of some very major issues facing our community, not the least of which are our dispersion and declining numbers. There are some very unique issues faced by our brothers and sisters in Iran; and in India and the western diaspora. The painfully long gestation of the "World Body” leaves us like a ship without a rudder.

I arrived in London the day prior to the Congress, with the "WB” issue very much on my mind. The pangs of rejection of the latest WB proposals, by the high priests and 40 out of 67 anjumans of India, were fresh and deep.

The entire "World Body Day,” on June 30, 2005 I thought, slipped away from us.

Breaking up the audience into small groups who were asked to discuss different design aspects of a WB was, I thought, an academic exercise, and only served to deflect the momentum away from the reality of the present WB proposal. With all the stakeholders (the presidents of all major regions and WZO) as well as officials from the new WAPIZ organization, there in person, it was certainly an opportunity lost that we did not use this forum to seek understanding and convergence.

While the outcome of the "World Body Day” was disappointing, much progress was accomplished at numerous meetings of the "G-10” group and other interested persons, during the course of the Congress. We are very hopeful that the modifications and additional safeguards introduced into the charters, will assuage the fears, and the high priests and anjumans of India will lift their sanctions.

Actions speak the loudest. The power of coming together and working together was demonstrated at the all-day "Coming Together” roundtable session on June 28, when presidents/representatives of all the world’s regions and global institutions each briefly presented their major challenges/issues and ideas for cooperative projects. A long list of such challenges/projects was developed in real time, grouped and prioritized, and owners assigned for a few of them. This session amply conveyed to all the urgency for "coming together” in hamazori and working together. There is much work to be done, worldwide, if we want our community to survive and grow and retain its light and luster of yesteryears. For want of a formal "WB,” follow up now lies in the hands of a few well-meaning individuals. Dr Zareen Araoz has taken up the cudgel.

In the end, even with all the unfinished business that weighed heavy upon my mind and my heart, one thing that never fails to elevate one’s spirit, is to be together, however briefly, with our brothers and sisters. There is nothing that can replace the warm glow it brings. Coming together, is indeed, the essence of these Congresses.

May Ahura Mazda forever keep us together!

Rohinton Rivetna is the founder chairman of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce. He has been president of the Zoroastrian Association of Chicago and was elected founder president of FEZANA after he had drafted its constitution. An environmental engineer, he is a member of the governing board of the World Parliament of Religions.

Address the challenges

Jennifer Rose

My personal experience of the Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress was limited to the first day at the Zartoshty Brothers’ Hall and the two subsequent days at the Wembley Conference Centre. During this time, although I met many dear friends and esteemed colleagues for quick chats over tea and biscuits, my energies were mainly focused on the various presentations that followed rapidly in succession throughout each day. So it would not be honest of me to claim to have an overall perspective of the achievements of the Congress as a whole.

As I was registering that Friday at the Zoroastrian Centre, I was struck by the diversity of attendees: not only were there Zarathushtis from many different parts of the globe (I met individuals from India, Pakistan, France, Germany, Australia, Iran and America – including some folks who are nearly my neighbors in California!), but there was also a sizeable number of non-Zoroastrian scholars and educators. I learnt that, unlike the preceding conference in US, visas had been granted to around 90 Iranian delegates, including three senior mobeds, to attend the Congress in London. The presence of so many Zarathushtis from the motherland, particularly in terms of their contributions as speakers, added an appreciable richness to the proceedings. It was particularly exciting to me to hear so much Persian being spoken, as I had just returned from an inspiring three-week trip to Iran.

I therefore tried my best to hear as many presentations relating to Iran as possible, although inevitably there were moments of frustration that the Congress organizers had not thought to provide us with a Time-Turner so that we could attend two sessions running simultaneously (See Harry Potter Book Three if that reference eludes you!). For instance, there were at least three other interesting speakers at the same time as my own paper, whose papers I was sorry to miss!

I found the variety and quality of presentations to be excellent – a potpourri of topics with something for everyone! The topics related to the whole gamut of things Zarathushti, including: the person of Zarathushtra; the history, religious and cultural expression of the three great Iranian Empires; the Parsis in India; the Zarathushtis in Iran; social customs, rituals and ethics; ecology; religious literature, including oral texts and traditions; places of worship; issues facing the community today; the various contributions of the Zarathushti din; and education concerning the Zarathushti din both within and outside the community.

I know that some attendees were disappointed at the fact that the packed program of the first three days left little time to pause for either food or conversation, but there was ample time for convivial nosh and networking in the evenings, and at the various events and outings coordinated throughout the following week, such as the launch of the "Iran before Islam” coin exhibition at the British Museum curated by Dr Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis.

Although the presentations that I attended were well-crafted and delivered, the Wembley Conference Centre itself provided a few glitches, such as odd acoustics, which sometimes made it seem as if one was on a crossed line with the speaker in the next room! Also, given the fact that the building is less than 30 years old, one would have expected all of the lecture theaters to be wheelchair accessible; but only one auditorium was modified for the Congress with the addition of a distractingly squeaky ramp.

Despite these niggles, and the fact that some of the current hot potatoes were on the table, the participants in the Congress as a whole seemed, in true Zarathushti fashion, to maintain a congenial attitude to both the proceedings and each other. As a non-Zoroastrian academic, I have always considered my role as furthering what A. V. W. Jackson termed "the Avestan cause,” and try therefore to maintain a neutral position concerning intercommunity issues. Conferences such as this World Congress are great opportunities for informed and constructive discourse between impartial, but sympathetic outsiders, and members of the faith. It is in this arena, with all participants motivated by good thought, that we can perhaps together begin to address some of the intellectual challenges facing Zoroastrians in the 21st century. How that quest for knowledge translates into spiritual and practical action is, however, up to the members of the community itself to work out…

Jennifer Rose teaches courses on "Women and Religion” at Saddle­back Community College and "The Origins and Influences of the Zoroastrian Tradition” at Claremont Graduate University in Cali­fornia. A PhD in Iranian Studies from Columbia University, New York, her doctoral dissertation is published as "The Image of Zoroaster: The Persian Saga Through European Eyes."

"The devil divides”

Jehangir Sarosh

This was my first World Zoroastrian Congress, but it will not be the last. A thoroughly enjoyable occasion, meeting co-religionists from far and wide. For the past 30 years I have promoted Zoroastrian values and ethical codes to the different faith communities and organizations, and missed no opportunity to confirm that Zoroastrianism and Zarathushtis are alive and well and shall be so for Zarathushtra’s wisdom is universal and eternal.

My hesitation and reluctance to attend previous Zoroastrian Congresses was because Parsis (not Iranians) made me feel I did not belong to their community, having married out. Certainly they tolerated me, but neither did they respect me nor made me feel welcome. I was made to feel an outsider. And if I, a Zarathushti, felt an outsider, then imagine how my wife and children felt. Having had my gripe, let us look on the positive side.

Fortunately, wisdom prevails and in recent years the narrow mindedness and bigotry is slowly disappearing. This Congress has opened my eyes and I shall never be the same again.

The generosity of so many of the participants in giving so much of themselves, the openness and inclusivity of the organizers, the hard work and commitment of the volunteers, the leadership of the president and the management team shows the strength and resilience of our community.

It seems to me that the organizers did their utmost to bring together the four strands within the world Zoroastrian community: the Parsis, the Iranis, the Iranians and the Zarathushtis in the diaspora. This Congress made me realize and appreciate the beautiful diversity amongst us Zoroastrians. Yet, with all these differences one observes that beneath the skin we are kin. The kinship brought about quite clearly by our religion, not any ethnicity.

Within the youth, there was a further diversity. Those who were not born in the subcontinent or left at an early age saw themselves as Zoroastrians and hardly identified themselves as Parsis. If my assumptions are correct then within a couple of generations, Parsis will only exist in India and the scattered community will see itself as Zoroastrian. This raises the question about the long-term viability of the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis.

Another thing that hit me was how some were totally convinced that nothing mattered other than to maintain the "Parsipanu” and that was what Zoroas­trianism was all about. However, after a short dialog they were more open to reason, rationality and appreciated the width of our religion and the importance of really understanding the principle of using the good mind to progress towards Frashokereti.

I have the privilege of working with local, national and regional governments, and with international and national NGOs including different organs of the United Nations. Thus my major interest was in the development of a world Zoroastrian body. On the ‘World Body’ day, it was surprising how little people had listened to what was said, and how minds were made up irrespective of the rational arguments and facts presented, disregarding the purpose of religion and the function of the co-workers of Ahura Mazda. For some, only the maintenance of the status quo was all-important, forgetting that what made us great was the ability to adapt, change, and thus progress. It was evident that most participants did not appreciate the desperate need for a permanent international Zoroastrian organization in the current globalized world.

We need a proper world body (WB)

to ensure the Zoroastrian voice is heard and respected in the secular world

to offer Zarathushtra’s wisdom to bring about Frashokereti ( the reason for which Ahura Mazda’s co-workers were created).

to ensure each and every Zoroastrian, wherever she/he is, is afforded religious freedom, for religious freedom enables prosperity, education and wisdom. All these together give one self-respect and that makes possible respect for and by others.

to have a focus on external issues in a global context in diverse fields, including political, economic, religious, educational and cultural. The community in the 21st century is not any more ghettoized in baugs or Parsi colonies. Neither is it concentrated in certain parts of Maharashtra or Gujarat only. The scattered community means there are now individuals and tiny enclaves of Zoroastrians in different parts of the globe. They need to be supported and cared for by a WB.

to be engaged in maintaining productive ties with the international community; nurturing positive working relationships with these bodies is one of the most important keys to our success in serving our community and the world.

Increasingly there is a demand made by governmental and non-governmental bodies for one port of call for each community. Therefore, through the WB its various members could be called upon to meet the specific expertise needed for specific calls made upon it, at the same time offering a strong and visible unity.

Let us remember that a few committed individuals/groups started most major changes in the world and the "establishment” resisted with all their might in order to hold on to the power they enjoyed. It is vital that those who are willing to work together establish a body; others can apply to join as and when it suits them.

It should be noted that the World Council of Churches (WCC) which has Orthodox, Protestant, Liberal and Reform movements within its structure does not have the largest Christian community, the Roman Catholics as a member; the latter only has an "observer” status.

Thus, those bodies that do not wish to work together may wish to take up this option, with the knowledge that they may change their status at a later date.

So let us accept the reality of the international situation and without further delay start with those who realize the need for such a body and bring the WB into fruition.

When a proper, inclusive WB is formed, then we can claim as per that wise saying: "They formed a small circle and excluded us out, we formed a larger circle and included them in.”

Our religion offers a wisdom tradition that places full responsibility on the individual and does not allow us to abdicate that responsibility to another individual, no matter how high he or she (generally he) is in the male dominated hierarchy and not even to the revealed word. This aspect of responsibility (responding to the moment — not to something based on the past) has enabled Zoroastrians not to be divided. I always boast about this very proudly, and beg you all — let no one divide us (for division is the best tool the devil has). The Barsum sticks are there to remind us — just that!

Into his second term as European Moderator of the World Conference of Religions for Peace, Jehangir Sarosh has been the the ZTFE representative in the Inter Faith movement for the past 25 years and has served three terms as Co-Vice-Chair of the Inter Faith Network of the UK. The recognition of Zoroastrianism as one of the nine religions of the UK was the result of his efforts.

The Iranian experience

Mehrangiz Shahzadi

This was the first time I had the opportunity to participate in a World Zoroastrian Congress, though I had seen my parents do so earlier.

Originally the entire Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress was supposed to be convened in Wembley, a London borough, and many of the participants were residing in the hotels close to that location. However, the inaugural ceremony was convened, contrary to the original schedule, at the Zartoshty Brothers’ Hall of the Zoroastrian Centre in Harrow. Though a bus was sent for our transportation, 11 Iranians who were residing in places other than the main hotels, faced locked doors when they reached the original location at the Wembley Conference Centre.

When the lectures began on the first day after lunch, we were surprised to find that there was no simultaneous interpretation nor pre-translated text of the lecture available to us, as is the common practice at conferences.

On the second day when the meeting was held at the Wembley Conference Centre, lectures proceeded in four different rooms simultaneously. The room allocated to the Persian speaking participants had a ramp for wheel chairs ­— instead of carpeted stairs — which resounded loudly at every footstep, distracting the speaker and the audience.

The saddest and most comic part of the program was that while we expected to exchange views and information about Zoroastrian problems all over the world, we found ourselves listening to our problems being related to us by an Iranian who had settled in North America! Of course, we could have gone to other rooms and left the Persian room empty, but that would be impolite to the Farsi speakers. Besides, even those Iranians who now reside in other countries and, like us, can understand simple, everyday English, were not in a position to understand the fluent, literary language used by the lecturers. It was equally comical when Mobed Mehra­ban Firouzgary and Dr Mehrbanoo Bakhtiary delivered their lectures, which they had prepared in English for the benefit of all the delegates but found themselves speaking in English to the Iranians instead!

From the fourth day onwards all events were held at the Zoroastrian Centre but when the bus failed to come we had no choice but to remain in our hotel. In the evening the buses came to fetch us but the Indian food was hot and spicy and we had to have our dinner outside despite having paid for four meals at the Congress.

On the closing evening, which coincided with the Tirgan festival, the program was so intensive, with distribution of gifts and lectures, that the delegates were unable to understand or appreciate the traditional ceremony of Tir-o-Bad silk thread and verse of the poet Hafez which the Iranian ladies had organized under the leadership of Primer Zarvanin (Niknam).

Thus it may be said that the greatest weakness of this Congress was the fragmentation of the audience. If simultaneous interpretation had been provided, the lectures by Mehraban Oshidari, Ardeshir Khor­shi­dian, Rostam Vahidi, Koorosh Niknam, Mehraban Firouz­gary, Alayar Dabe­stani could have been delivered to all the participants at the Congress.

Also, between the Iranian delegates and the organizers the contacts were so few, we felt we were uninvited guests.

The saddest part of the experience was that Zoroastrians who have settled in India, Europe and North America have all gone from Iran but have failed to maintain their native language. Isn’t the main objective of each nation to keep alive their native language? Isn’t it true that such congresses are aimed at preserving Zoroastrian culture and religion and language? English is an international language and must be learnt, but Persian should have a special place in a World Zoro­astrian Congress where all participants are of Iranian origin.

For all the above, we must acknowledge the work and efforts of the organizers, especially for having made it possible for us to get our visas and enjoy the sights of London. We are also grateful to Iranians resident in London who treated us with sincerity and kindness.

Mehrangiz Shahzadi, a housewife from Tehran, is the daughter of former Iranian high priest the late Mobed Shahzadi.