2012 - FEZANA SILVER JUBILEE YEAR

Submitted by bomip on Mon, 12/05/2011 - 01:11

Zoroastrian Return to Roots Program

Submitted by arzan on Mon, 05/20/2013 - 20:02

The Zoroastrian Return to Roots Program is a new initiative that has been put together by Zoroastrian youth under the aegis of the UN PARZOR project. Below is a short note about the project.

On behalf of Zoroastrian Return to Roots, Dinsha Mistree writes

Hello,

We are very excited to announce the launch of Zoroastrian Return to Roots, a program designed to connect youth from all over the world through short (10-14 day) trips of Zoroastrian India, and eventually through Zoroastrian Iran. The inaugural trip will take place in Mumbai and Gujarat, India from Dec 27th 2013-Jan 8th 2014, and it will include participation at the World Zoroastrian Congress.

We are currently accepting applications for youth who would like to participate in the inaugural trip. We have 20 slots available. We are looking for mature young Zoroastrians from all over the world who are poised to become leaders in their local and national associations. The trip is heavily subsidized for participants: financial considerations should not discourage anyone from applying. Furthermore, we are positioned to arrange visas for participants regardless of nationality, offering otherwise non-existent opportunities to our Pakistani and Iranian brothers and sisters.

To apply, please go here: www.zororoots.org/apply/

The Cyrus Cylinder Arrives in Houston

Submitted by arzan on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 22:03

 The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: A New Beginning     

May 3—June 14, 2013 Museum of Fine Art, Houston TX

 

Docent Education Session – FREE Open to ZAH members

Saturday, May 4, 2013 - 10:00 a.m.- American General Conference Room

Presented by John Curtis, Keeper of the Middle East Collections, The British Museum, and organizing curator of the exhibition The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: A New Beginning, and Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis, Curator of Middle Eastern Coins, The British Museum

 

Opening Weekend Lecture – FREE but you need to reserve your seat

The Many Meanings of the Cyrus Cylinder - Sunday, May 5, 2013 -6:00 p.m.- Gallery 214 

Modest in scale and appearance, the Cyrus Cylinder is one of the most famous icons to have survived from the ancient world. The origins of this baked clay object, which was buried as a foundation deposit, can be traced to the Persian king Cyrus the Great (reigned circa 559–530 BCE) and his victory over the last Babylonian ruler, Nabonidus, in 539 BCE. The Cylinder was not discovered until 1879, but Cyrus’s tolerance has inspired generations of philosophers, rulers, and statesmen—from ancient Greece to the Renaissance, and from the Founding Fathers to leaders in the modern-day Near East—and has made the Cyrus Cylinder a powerful symbol of religious tolerance and multiculturalism. In this enthralling talk Neil MacGregor, Director of The British Museum, traces 2600 years of Middle Eastern history through this single object.

 

Message to Zoroastrian Community in Greater Boston Area

Submitted by arzan on Tue, 04/16/2013 - 22:05

On Behalf of FEZANA we would like to reach out to

Aspi Engineer, President, Zoroastrian Association of Greater Boston Area (ZAGBA), Dr. Jerry Kheradi, FEZANA Representative for ZAGBA, ZAGBA members and all Bostonians

FEZANA shares the outrage and grief over yet another mindless act of mass violence, this time at the Boston Marathon, which has left so much pain in its wake.

While our member ZAGBA families appear to be safe, some did have a close call, according to early reports.

We are thankful to Ahura Mazda for sparing them and all who survived the blasts. Both the ZAGBA families and the greater Boston community remain in our prayers and thoughts and we extend our sincere wishes for their well-being.

Please let us know how we can be of help to you.

Katayun Kapadia FEZANA-President

10th World Zoroastrian Congress, Mumbai, India

Submitted by arzan on Thu, 04/04/2013 - 15:17

The 10th World Zoroastrian Congress will be held in Mumbai from 27th December to 30th December 2013. The last World Zoroastrian Congress was hosted by Dubai in December 2009, and India will be hosting this grand event after an interval of 23 years.
 

The Organising Committee of the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress is making all efforts to make this event a spectacular and most unforgettable experience for all our delegates. We are sure you must be eagerly awaiting updates, so here’s everything to bring you up to speed:
 

THEME
The theme of the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress is ‘Zoroastrianism in the 21st Century: Nurturing Growth and Affirming Identity’. The Zoroastrian community in the 21st century needs to grow not only in its numbers, but in its economic and social welfare index, in its entrepreneurship and its contribution to the communities in which it exists. With this growth, the community affirms its identity as a socially and economically progressive unit, recognised for its selfless altruism – in short, projecting the past into the future.
 

NAVROZE MUBARAK - NOUROUZ PIROUZ BAD

Submitted by arzan on Wed, 03/20/2013 - 20:46

Message from Katayun Kapadia, President FEZANA

FEZANA wishes a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous Navroze/Nourouz to fellow Zarathushtis and to our friends across North America & worldwide.

Nourouz, with origins lying in Persian antiquity, is marked by the Spring Equinox, falling on March 20 this year. As a Harvard University guide notes, while Nourouz is celebrated by people from diverse ethnic and religious communities, for the Zarathushti community it is something special. It is our spiritual New Year.

Distinctive celebrations are associated with the Nourouz holiday including the Haft- Seen table. Traditionally, the table is laden with seven symbolic items whose names all begin with the Persian letter S: Sumac, representing sunrise and the spice of life; Senjed, sweet dry fruit of the lotus tree, representing love; Serkeh, vinegar, for patience; Seeb, apples, for health and beauty; Seer, garlic, for good health; Samanu, wheat pudding, for fertility and the sweetness of life; Sabzeh, sprouted wheat grass, for fertility and the rebirth of nature. These seven items vary slightly from table to table, however, the number Seven is constant. Seven represents the Seven Eternal Laws of Nature, as enumerated in the Gathas: Vohu Mana, Asha Vahishta, Kshatra Vairya, Spenta Armaity, Hurvatat, Ameretat, Ahura Mazda. Hence, the seven items placed on the table remind us of our commitment and dedication to follow the path that brings all Creation towards Perfection.

Every Nourouz is special in its own way. But this year promises to be especially memorable because it coincides with a unique and exciting event: the arrival of the Cyrus Cylinder on the shores of the United States. The object is widely considered an ancient Declaration of Human Rights. The ancient clay object, barely 9 inches long and a resident of the British Museum since its 19th century discovery under the sands of Mesopotamia, bears a statement of ruling principles by Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenian Empire. Cyrus the Great is a hero to the Zarathushti people who consider themselves the inheritors of his legacy of tolerance and magnanimity.

The Cyrus Cylinder and an accompanying cast of artifacts are now on display at the Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art through April 28. The objects will be exhibited in Houston from May 3-June 14; New York from June 20- August 4; San Francisco from August 9-September 22; and Los Angeles from October 2-December 2. We encourage everyone to visit the exhibit when it comes to their communities and to plan educational events for children and adults related to the occasion.

Happy Nourouz and Goodwill to all!

Continue reading further in our March 2013 Bulletin

Celebrating Cyrus the Great and Jewish-Iranian Bonds

Submitted by arzan on Fri, 03/15/2013 - 17:38
 
The Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution (CRDC), Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA), and National Iranian American Council (NIAC) invite you to a shared panel and celebration in honor of the presence in Washington of the Cyrus Cylinder and its significance for the peaceful interaction of civilizations based on universal human rights and human dignity.
We gather to celebrate and reflect together during the Jewish Passover, and immediately following Norooz, the Iranian New Year, demonstrating the peaceful interaction of two ancient civilizations united in their common devotion to the legacy of Cyrus the Great.

This event will feature:
  • Dr. Shaul Bakhash, Professor of History and Iranian Studies, George Mason University
  • Dr. Marc Gopin, Director of CRDC, George Mason University
  • Dr. Ahmad Karimi Hakkak, Professor and Founding Director of the Center for Persian Studies, University of Maryland
  • Fatemeh Keshavarz, Professor and Director of the Roshan Institute Center for Persian Studies, University of Maryland
  • Dr. Trita Parsi, President, NIAC

 

Thursday, March 28th, 2013 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Founders Hall, Room 126, George Mason University 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201

Please RSVP here: Link 

FEZANA Academic Scholarship 2013-2014

Submitted by arzan on Sat, 03/09/2013 - 00:03

Applications are invited for the following FEZANA ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS
 

  • MEHRABAN AND MORVORID KHERADI (MMK) ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE - THE FEZANA SCHOLAR.
  • FEZANA 25th ANNIVERSARY ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP
  • MORVORID GUIV ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP
  • PURVEZ AND ABAN RUSTOMJI ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP
  • BANOOBAI AND MANECKSHAW KAPADIA (BMK) ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP


All scholarships are open to Zarathushti applicants who have obtained admission for attendance at institutions of higher learning (accredited degree-granting colleges or universities) in USA or Canada.
 

FEZANA Excellence In Sports Scholarship Fund Accepting Applications for 2012

Submitted by arzan on Wed, 02/13/2013 - 02:35

The FEZANA Excellence In Sports Scholarship (EXISS) Fund is still accepting applications for 2012.
 
The objective of the Excellence in Sports Scholarship (EXISS) Fund is to provide financial support to young Zarathushtis (between the ages of 10-30, living in North America) who are performing exceptionally and at highly recognized levels in any sport.
 
The purpose of the scholarship is to enable the recipients to get world-class training and/or study with experts in their field and thus fine tune and enhance their talent and capabilities. The new deadline for applications is Thursday, February 28th, 2013.
 
If you or someone you know may benefit from this scholarship, we encourage you to apply.
 
For more details, please visit http://www.fezana.org/exiss-fund or contact Shiroy Dadachanji at exissfund@fezana.org .  
 
Shiroy Dadachanji
Chair, Excellence in Sports Scholarship (EXISS)

Join FEZANA in Celebrating & Participating in The Cyrus Cylinder Tour of USA?

Submitted by arzan on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 23:22

Dear Presidents/Representatives of Member Associations. Corresponding Members, Committee Chairs & Zarathushtis in NA

The Cyrus Cylinder is a 2600-year old object of modern importance, and a symbol of multi-culturalism, tolerance, diversity, and human rights.  The Cylinder, a replica of which is enshrined at the United Nations as the first charter of human rights, is on a permanent exhibit at the British Museum.

This year, it will be on exhibit, along with several other significant objects of Persian antiquity, including one depicting a Zarathushti priest, for the first time at five major museums across the U.S.: Washington D.C. (March 9 – April 28, 2013); Houston (May 3 – June 14, 2013); New York (June 20 – August 4, 2013); San Francisco (August 9 – September 22, 2013); and Los Angeles (October 2 – December 2, 2013).

This US national tour is officially sponsored by the Iran Heritage Foundation of America (IHF), working in collaboration with the British Museum. We Zarathushtis are especially attuned to the significance of the Cyrus Cylinder; and as the organization representing Zarathushti interests in North America, FEZANA has received a special invitation to partner with IHF in this effort.

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