Congress concert
In the larger interest
At Parsiana’s request several global leaders have emailed their response to the earlier decision of the four trustees to postpone/cancel the Tenth World Zoroastrian Congress scheduled to be held in Bombay this December end.
As we work our way through this painful episode, there are a few fundamental principles that need to be reaffirmed and embedded into our consciousness, individually and collectively.
Our reputation as an honest, trustworthy, industrious community has been earned by our forebears with great personal sacrifice, and is not for sale. The behavior of those that have been endowed with the leadership, and the trust, of the community must be above reproach and exemplary. Venting of issues and grievances in the public courts, and our innate desire to get the ear of the public places our entire community on the sacrificial block and ought to be eschewed. By weakening the community one weakens oneself. These simple truths are self-evident, and yet we find ourselves abandoning them, for a moment of gratification.
The larger interest of the community trumps any and all individual and local interests, and in fact supersedes all else.
The recent decisions made in the heat of the moment, possibly without clear understanding of the consequences — legal, financial, tarnished reputation — for the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), the organizers, presenters and performers, participants, both local and from around the world, have been an embarrassment — nay a disaster — for the entire Parsi community worldwide! This is deeply hurtful, especially at a time when there are so many larger fires we need to fight collectively as a global community.
Our reputation as an honest, trustworthy, industrious community has been earned by our forebears with great personal sacrifice, and is not for sale. The behavior of those that have been endowed with the leadership, and the trust, of the community must be above reproach and exemplary. Venting of issues and grievances in the public courts, and our innate desire to get the ear of the public places our entire community on the sacrificial block and ought to be eschewed. By weakening the community one weakens oneself. These simple truths are self-evident, and yet we find ourselves abandoning them, for a moment of gratification.
The larger interest of the community trumps any and all individual and local interests, and in fact supersedes all else.
The recent decisions made in the heat of the moment, possibly without clear understanding of the consequences — legal, financial, tarnished reputation — for the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), the organizers, presenters and performers, participants, both local and from around the world, have been an embarrassment — nay a disaster — for the entire Parsi community worldwide! This is deeply hurtful, especially at a time when there are so many larger fires we need to fight collectively as a global community.
Rohinton Rivetna: decisions made in haste
The organizers of this Congress, whether the trustees of the BPP or other individuals, are accountable to the community worldwide. There can be no place for the blame game that is often played when we are faced with a tough situation. As a world community we will be tested with what we do, or do not do.
Our community is well organized with reporting heads in every region. These regional heads meet from time to time, in the forum of the Global Working Group (GWG), the erstwhile Coming Together Roundtable. It was the GWG which, following a formal selection process and requests from the BPP, granted the venue for the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress (10WZC) to India, to be hosted by the BPP. Members of GWG carry the weight and trust of their communities behind them. This is the logical authority to whom the Congress organizers are accountable.
Unlike a business organization, in a community organization leadership needs to be collectivized, with the leader acting only as a catalyst. The best organization is where the leadership is invisible. Collectivization and sharing of responsibilities is the corollary, which has obvious benefits as it inherently builds safety nets. The Congress leadership has responsibilities and obligations — to the organizers who have worked hard to bring the Congress to this stage, to all the overseas and local attendees, speakers, panelists, performers and sponsors who have invested time, talent and finances, and above all, to the worldwide community.
The Congress must happen. Regional leaders that comprise the GWG need to spring into action to salvage this situation by persuading the dissenting four trustees to reconsider their position with clear thinking and vohu mana, in light of the disastrous and widespread consequences. Or, if necessary, to transfer the hosting responsibility from the BPP to another organization in India to bring the Congress to fruition. A capable and experienced one that comes to mind is the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute, but there may be other contenders.
We need to put this wrinkle behind us and work together with redoubled effort and commitment towards an enlightening and fruitful Congress. We owe it to our community, our forebears and our religion.
In doing this, whatever the circumstance, the dignity of all individuals, regardless of their position, has to be respected; for more things are wrought with prayer and persuasion and goodwill, and so will this issue.
There are lessons to be learned from our missteps, by both the BPP and the global community. If we can keep our minds open we may learn that we have to be more cohesive worldwide and have systems in place to work and operate like a mature "community without borders.”
We pray that clear thinking, good judgment and hamazori prevails in whatever actions we take, keeping only one goal in mind — to do what is best for our community.
All of this is summed up in our simple greeting Hamazor Hama Asho Baed.
With hamazori we can move mountains.
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From the archive