Category Archives: Feature

FEZANA ELECTS NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE LED BY INCOMING PRESIDENT ERVAD KAYOMARZ Y. SIDHWA

FEZANA, the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America, recently announced a transition of executive leadership at its Annual General Meeting hosted by the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago, April 26 – 28, in Burr Ridge. Voted in unanimously by FEZANA member associations, the new Executive Committee will be led by incoming President, Ervad Kayomarz Y. Sidhwa, who assumes the position following four transformative years as Vice President supporting the leadership of immediate past president, Arzan Sam Wadia.

Sidhwa, who previously served as Vice President, is the first Ervad (Zoroastrian priest) to be elected FEZANA President. In his address to member associations on Sunday, April 28, Sidhwa shared his vision and goals for FEZANA, building on the legacy and accomplishments of the previous four years.

“I am immensely grateful to Arzan for the foundation we have built over the past four years, and I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to strengthen and advance FEZANA’s interests and make a difference in the lives of Zoroastrians throughout the diaspora,” Sidhwa said.

“Reflecting on the past eight years—four as Vice-President and four as President—I have been privileged to witness the vibrant tapestry of the Zarathushti community in North America and beyond. It has been an immense honor to lead FEZANA, an experience that has enriched my life profoundly,” Wadia said.

Wadia also thanked outgoing FEZANA Assistant-Secretary Sharmin Mistry for her role in enhancing the work and impact of the FEZANA Executive over the last two years.

Sidhwa will lead a new Executive Committee for his first two-year term, including: Vice President Xerxes Commissariat, Secretary Cody K. Patrovi, and Assistant Secretary Farzin Avari. Xerxes will continue in his previous role and duties as the Treasurer of FEZANA till a new one is elected soon.

Incoming FEZANA Executive Committee l to r: Xerxes Commissariat, VP; Zenobia Damania FEZANA Administrator; Kayo Sidhwa, President; Cody Partovi, Secretary; Farzin Avari, Assistant Secretary.

Kayo Sidhwa
FEZANA President 2024-2026

Ervad Kayomarz Y. Sidhwa grew up in Mumbai, India and currently lives in Houston, Texas with his wife Farzana and has two kids, Friyana and Yazad. He came to United States in 1991 and after completing his Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA), he started his journey in South Florida.

Kayomarz (Kayo) has been an active leader in community affairs at the Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) and has served in a variety of roles with the most recent being the Co-Chair of the 18th North American Zoroastrian Congress to be held in Houston, TX in December 2024.

He has served as the Treasurer on the ZAH Executive Committee and is currently serving on their Web and Finance Committees. He has also served on Executive Boards in Sydney, Australia as well as in Florida. Kayo strongly believes in Youth development and empowerment and has been instrumental in developing the Z-Camp program at ZAH and runs it since 2013.

Recently he was on the FEZANA Executive Committee serving as the Vice President and brings with him his organizational and fundraising experience to FEZANA. Professionally he works for a software company in Client Delivery and Relationship Management.

Xerxes Commissariat
FEZANA Vice – President

Xerxes Commissariat’s journey began with the FEZANA executive committee in 2018 when he assumed the role of Assistant Secretary and later served as the Treasurer. Currently, he is on the AV/Technology Committee for the upcoming North America Congress in Houston, Texas in 2024.

Noteworthy roles during his tenure include serving as the Registration Chair for the 7th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in Los Angeles, California in 2019. In addition, he served on the AV/Technology Committee for the 12th World Zoroastrian Congress in New York in 2022.

Having been a resident of Southern California since 2003, he is a proud life member of the Zoroastrian Association of California (ZAC). Presently, he serves as the co-chair of the association’s maintenance committee, a position he has held for the past decade and has contributed to the association’s expansion sub-committee.

Xerxes holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and works for the University of Southern California. He currently resides in Irvine, California with his wife Diana and two children, Zane and Zara.

Cody Khodarahm Partovi
FEZANA Secretary

Cody Partovi was born in Tehran, Iran, and moved to California in 2013. He completed his master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and is currently working in the California Department of Transportation as a transportation engineer.

Cody brings with him years of experience at various levels of involvement in the Zoroastrian community. Most recently he is the FEZANA’s Secretary and before that, he was the Treasurer of the 7th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress and a member of the executive committee that planned the congress in Los Angeles in 2019.

He has also been involved in different capacities and with different activities at California Zoroastrian Center spanning over 7 years.

He moved to Northern California in the Sacramento area in 2021 and got involved with the Sacramento Zoroastrian Association community activities and now he is one of the SZA’s board members.

Farzin Avari
FEZANA Assistant Secretary

Farzin Avari is an educator and community leader striving to foster the growth of kind, compassionate, and thoughtful young leaders.

As a first-generation Indian-American immigrant, Farzin has focused her efforts on community building within the Zarathushti community, the Indian-American community, as well as her local community in Atlanta, Georgia.

As a woman of color teaching in the South, Farzin understands the importance of empowering youth leaders to create more inclusive and supportive spaces within their communities.

As a proud Zarathushti, Farzin teaches science, Zoroastrianism, leadership, and service in the various positions she holds; all focused on polishing young minds to be better youth leaders. She had brought her skills from the classroom to create a dynamic group of Zarathusthi youth leaders in North America in her role as the Co-Chair of the Zoroastrian Youth of North America. As she moves to her role as assistant secretary at FEZANA she hopes to be a bridge between ZYNA and FEZANA.

Outgoing FEZANA Executive Committee 2022-2024 l to r: Kayo Sidhwa, Xerxes Commissariat, Sharmin Mistry, Zenobia Damania, Cody Partovi, Arzan Sam Wadia

North American Zoroastrians Usher in Nowruz – a New Day – the Official Start of the Vernal Equinox

Celebrated by millions around the world, Nowruz symbolizes renewal, rejuvenation, and the onset of Spring in the Northern hemisphere Burr Ridge, Ill., March 18, 2024 – FEZANA, the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America, today announced Zoroastrians throughout North America will celebrate Nowruz at the official start of the Vernal equinox, Tuesday, March 19,… Continue Reading

A Statue of Cyrus The Great Unveiled in Atlanta

A statue of Cyrus the Great was unveiled in Atlanta Georgia this weekend. During the Civil Rights Movement, Atlanta was home to a number of people including Martin Luther King Jr., and Former Congressmen John Lewis who fought tirelessly to ensure equality for all of America’s citizens. The statue of Cyrus the Great stands besides… Continue Reading

Final Report : Gen Z and Beyond Survey

Gen Z and Beyond: A Survey for Every Generation Final report now available FEZANA is happy to share that the Final Report of the Gen Z and Beyond Survey is now available to view and download. The Gen Z and Beyond Survey was supported by FEZANA and all its member associations. The findings of the… Continue Reading

Prof Miguel Ángel Andrés-Toledo Starts as FEZANA Professor at University of Toronto

FEZANA Heralds Selection of Prof. Miguel Ángel Andrés-Toledo as First FEZANA Professor in Zoroastrian Languages and Literatures at the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations of the University of Toronto Starting Sept. 1, Prof. Andrés-Toledo marks a new and transformative era in the study of Zoroastrian language and literature in the Western hemisphere TORONTO,… Continue Reading

ZOROASTRIANS TO GATHER AT 12TH WORLD ZOROASTRIAN CONGRESS

JUNE 30 TO JULY 5 IN NEW YORK CITY World Zoroastrian Congress last held in North America 22 years ago, promises to unite influential speakers, sponsors, and more than 1,200 participants from 16 nations New York City (June 27, 2022) – FEZANA, the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA), in partnership with the… Continue Reading

Programs at the 2021 Parliament of the World’s Religions

October 16-18 2021      The 2021 Parliament of the World’s Religions will be the eighth convening and the first time that it will be hosted virtually.  Recognized as the birthplace of the modern interfaith movement, the 1893 Parliament made history with its groundbreaking interreligious dialogues among leaders of Eastern and Western religious traditions, fostering understanding, cooperation and… Continue Reading

FEZANA Establishes Professorship in Zoroastrian Languages & Literature at the University of Toronto

FEZANA reaches milestone fundraising goal of $1.1 Million (USD) in partnership with the University of Toronto, establishing first-ever FEZANA Professorship of Zoroastrian Languages and Literature at the University of Toronto Transformative and sustainable for future generations, the endowed professorship advances the academic study and understanding of Zoroastrianism and its contributions to the world Burr Ridge,… Continue Reading

Ervad Soli P. Dastur: In Memorarium

While his final prayers and ceremonies are being worked out, we invite you to attend a short interim prayer on ZOOM at the following times. The ZOOM Link for all the prayers shall remain the same. Sunday May 30, 2021 4:30 pm (EDT)   : Uthamna 9:00 pm (EDT)   :  Srosh nu Patru / Srosh no… Continue Reading

An Appeal For Covid-19 Aid to India

Dear Zarathushtis across North America, Based on the severe impact of COVID-19 across India over the past two weeks, from high rates of spread to a new Indian variant strain, the situation is dire. We are seeing a groundswell of genuine interest from folks looking to donate, particularly for our Zoroastrian Parsi-Irani populations across Mumbai,… Continue Reading

NORTH AMERICAN ZOROASTRIANS USHER IN NOWRUZ, A NEW DAY

NORTH AMERICAN ZOROASTRIANS USHER IN NOWRUZ, A NEW DAY, ON SATURDAY, MARCH 20, THE OFFICIAL START OF THE VERNAL EQUINOX Following a pandemic year marred by sickness, death and loss around the world, the occasion of Nowruz offers hope and the promise of a New Day Burr Ridge, Illinois, March 16, 2021 – FEZANA, the… Continue Reading

A Statement from the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America on the events of January 6, 2021

A Statement from the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America on the events of January 6, 2021 The Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) is appalled by recent events that attempted to thwart the machinery of democracy; and instead, advance both physically and symbolically, an autocratic mob-driven takeover of the United States… Continue Reading

FEZANA to attend the 11th Annual RAD-AID Conference

Spotlight on the Hospital for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Children October 27, 2020, Washington, D.C.  The FEZANA UN-NGO Committee is delighted to announce that it will be sending delegates to the 11th Annual RAD-AID Conference being held on Nov. 7 & 8, 2020. FEZANA will be represented by Sheherazad Kapadia (UK), Ana Verahrami (Colorado, USA),… Continue Reading

FEZANA & NAMC ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT REITTERATING CDC GUIDANCE ON COVID-19 RISK MITIGATION FOR PLACES OF WORSHIP

FEZANA, NORTH AMERICAN MOBEDS COUNCIL ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT REITTERATING CDC GUIDANCE ON COVID-19 RISK MITIGATION FOR PLACES OF WORSHIP As Zarathushti associations and groups begin to open their doors or put together their plans for limited capacity in-person worship, the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) and the North American Mobeds Council (NAMC)… Continue Reading

A Statement On The Murder Of Zoroastrian Mobed Arash Kasravi

A STATEMENT ON THE MURDER OF ZOROASTRIAN MOBED ARASH KASRAVI FEZANA mourns and is very saddened to announce that Mobed Arash Kasravi, a practicing U.S.- based Zarathushti priest, was tragically murdered, Friday, July 24, in Kerman, Iran, according to the Iranian state news agency, IRNA. Mobed Kasravi was a highly respected member and religious leader of… Continue Reading

University of Toronto FEZANA Professorship Proposal

Dear friends, For several years, our own Ervad Jehan Bagli and the FEZANA team has worked hard to establish an academic program for advanced studies and research in the Zoroastrian religion, and ancient Iranian languages of our texts in order to perpetuate them and keep from becoming extinct. This will offer students an opportunity to… Continue Reading

Press Room

FEZANA represents a diverse and growing Zarathushti community in North America.

Guided by the blessings of AHURA MAZDA and the teachings of our Prophet Zarathushtra; the Federation was founded in 1987 It serves as the coordinating body for 26 Zoroastrian Associations and 14 Corresponding Groups in the United States and Canada.

The activities of FEZANA are conducted in a spirit of mutual respect, co-operation and unity amongst all Member associations, and with due regard for the principles of GOODNESS, TRUTH, REASON, BENEVOLENCE, IMPLICIT TRUST and CHARITY towards all Mankind.

:+: Baname Khoda Kshnothro Ahura Mazda