A wealth of cultural and religious knowledge resides in the contemporary stories and intergenerational memories of Zoroastrians dispersed across the world. The Zoroastrian Intergenerational Oral History (ZIOH) project provides Zoroastrian youth and young adults the opportunity to facilitate preservation of knowledge, connect with members, and disseminate the collective wisdom of a community that has nurtured resilience while defying the odds of time and place.

The youth led ZIOH project began in the summer of 2023 with the first cohort of dedicated middle and high school students across North America, envisioning an initial theme of “Diasporic Memories” to capture the narratives of migration, movement, displacement, and survival within the Zoroastrian community and sometimes within their own, immediate families. In this project, the youth participants lead the charge to source stories and connections, receive professional training and development, record interviews, generate transcripts, and finally reflect on this educational process. These conversations are meant to capture a meaningful dialogue between diverse age groups that can foster stronger communal bonds and generational knowledge.

To participate in this project as a teacher-lead, a youth interviewer, or an interviewee, please contact the FEZANA Religious Education Committee co-chairs, Artemis Javanshir and Persis Driver at education@fezana.org

Episodes