INTRODUCTION
Founded in 1985, FEZANA has had many accomplishments and enjoyed an enviable position for cohesiveness. However we are living in rapidly changing times where we need constant evaluation of our role as an organization and our input in the development of the Zarathushti people as a community. The North American community has to be very specific as to where we want to be as a community in 50 years from now. On this continent we do not have the luxury of taking for granted the infrastructures that were inherited by us in our countries of origin. We have to create our own.

At the FEZANA Annual General Meeting in July 1996 President Dolly Dastoor undertook a "Strategic Planning " exercise (FEZANA JOURNAL Fall 1996) which identified 4 "shared spaces" or collective goals for the community and the organization. The facilitators for the exercise were Rustom Kevala, Farrokh Mistree and Mehran Sepehri.

      Shared Spaces
      • Learning to live a Zarathushti life
      • Thousand Points of Light
      • Internal Structures
      • External Structures

The shared spaces resemble very closely the Mission Statement of FEZANA adopted in March 1995 which states:

• To preserve the religion of Prophet Zarathushtra (learning to live a Zarathushti life)
• To be a strong federation committed to putting the Zoroastrian community firmly and clearly on the North American map, and ensuring the survival, unity, progress and prosperity of the Zarathushti community on this continent, thereby preserving its religious and cultural entity (thousand points of light)
• To work closely in cooperation with Zarathushti communities abroad, in deliberations for a common goal of a united world Zarathushti community (external structures)
• To provide effective leadership in addressing the critical issues of our times with wisdom and righteousness ( internal structures)

The Winter Issue 1996 of the FEZANA JOURNAL described in further detail each of these areas, identifying Zarathushtis who had volunteered their services to develop action plans for each area.

The Strategic Plan is based on a holistic vision for the community, for I believe that a communitycannot have a religious vision unless there is a sociopolitical Vision and Will as well. Religiosity and spirituality cannot be enhanced and strengthened in the abstract. It has to be practiced and experienced in an environment where there is commonality of purpose, of thought word and deed.

The Plan is based on a broad vision of the future, a future full of growth and continuous progress for the community, revival of the spirit and knowledge, in an atmosphere of trust and comfort. The Plan is based on a vision to develop infrastructures for our human resources—our youth, our shut-ins our frail and our elderly – to create an atmosphere of pride in our community, where every individual feels part of the whole community and where every association feels part of the larger organization, where Zarathushti can hold their head up high and say "I am a Zarathushti" and people will know who they are. The Plan will make us subject of research, and object of art, not because we are relics of a "half-forgotten, half-obscure" religious community of the past, but because we are a vibrant living community of the present, which takes full advantage of the technological revolution to bring our diasporic community together by building cyber-bridges of meaningful dialogue.

The Plan is an important collective effort to define how we envision our future. It includes several action plans developed by the team leaders for each of the four "shared spaces" . Some of the action plans which are already being implemented address our strategic orientations while others are designed to solve operational problems. The overlapping areas within the 4 plans have been adjusted in the final draft plan. There has been tremendous enthusiasm and input from many people and I would like to thank all of them (Appendix 1)

Once the vision and the Plan for the community is endorsed by member associations of FEZANA and the priorities determined , we will request members to make the Plan known in their own associations and implement parts of the Plan as appropriate for themselves. We will also circulate the Plan to the community via the FEZANA JOURNAL.

VISION
To develop a Zarathushti community in North America that is well-connected, well educated, well grounded in Zarathushti religious thought, values and ethics, respectful of diversity, strong in collective giving, economically prosperous, a community which will be recognized for its contribution in all aspects of religious and communal life.