Shared Vision: Fueling Motivation for Community Flourishing
Parisa Foroudian
Parisa has a bachelor’s degree in software engineering and is passionate about being an entrepreneur and helping youngsters through this process. The main reason for my joining the Iranian Zoroastrian Youth Network (IZYN) is that I believe that by empowering young entrepreneurs we, Zoroastrians, can make the future.
Abstract
Embark on an enriching journey with five members of the Iranian Zoroastrian Youth Network as they explore the heart of India to participate in the World Zoroastrian Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) Conclave held in Pune in January 2024. In this article, we invite you to join us as we reflect on our transformative experience spanning Mumbai, Udvada, and Pune. Our primary objectives for this expedition were twofold: to immerse ourselves in the rich culture and explore the economic landscape of the Parsis in India, while also shedding light on the culture and current state of Zoroastrians in Iran. Throughout our journey, we engaged in meaningful cross-cultural communication, notably during our participation in the three-day conclave organized by the WZCC. Also, our involvement in the Tiger’s Den program, the culmination of the WZCC conclave, furthered our professional development. All these experiences have ignited a renewed sense of inspiration and motivation within us, nurturing our spiritual intelligence, and driving us ahead with a shared vision of contributing to our community’s flourishing and preserving our Zoroastrian heritage for generations to come.
Introducing I.Z.Y.N – The Iranian Zoroastrian Youth Network
The Iranian Zoroastrian Youth Network (IZYN) was established in September 2023 and is comprised of seven dedicated, entrepreneurial-minded members:
- Shiva Ashtari: Is working for a master’s in industrial and system engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Her focus is on establishing the viability of tourism in enhancing socio-economic conditions in Zoroastrian villages.
- Parisa Foroudian: A software engineering graduate, who ardently pursues entrepreneurship with IZYN. A creative problem solver and tech enthusiast, she consistently contributes innovative ideas, thriving in collaborative teams for collective success.
- Arezoo Gharibshahi: Works as a business analyst. She is pursuing an MBA at Sharif University, finding joy in playing Persian classical music on the piano, exploring museums and historical complexes, and marveling at the exquisite creations of Persian art.
- Roxana Iraji: An industrial engineer, active in the startup ecosystem, with a passion for preserving Zoroastrian culture and history through filmmaking.
- Radman Khorshidian: A life coach and a Zoroastrian futurist who studies social foresight and explores cognitive science, complex systems, and utopia.
- Siavash Mandegari: Has worked as a project manager. He is pursuing PhD in industrial and system engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Dissertation topic: Socio-Economic Development of the Yazd Region.
- Pedram Mojgani: Project manager and Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) expert, seeking wisdom from teammates through teamwork. Also, a movie fan!
With a shared aspiration to contribute to the Zoroastrian community, IZYN’s mission spans various initiatives:
- Facilitating collaboration between young Zoroastrians in Iran and Zoroastrians around the world
- Fostering cultural interaction among Zoroastrians to promote unity
- Establishing a network of academic Zoroastrians for knowledge and opportunity sharing
- Sharing economic opportunities within and outside Iran for Zoroastrian entrepreneurs
- Supporting and identifying young entrepreneurs
- Preserving and introducing the culture and society of Zoroastrians in Iran, while fostering collaborations for community development
These endeavors reflect IZYN’s commitment to empowering Zoroastrian youth and advancing the collective interests of the community. At the Pune Conclave in January 2024, five members represented IZYN. They presented their entrepreneurial interests in the context of an aspirational project: The Yazd Zoroastrian Cultural and Heritage Resort.
IZYN Member’s Transformative Journey in India
One of the recent and significant activities of IZYN was the trip to India, which took place in January 2024. We sought to primarily familiarize ourselves with the culture and economic prospects of the Parsis in India, alongside promoting cultural awareness and preservation of Zoroastrian heritage. The trip to India was a memorable and fruitful experience for IZYN members, as it provided us with entrepreneurial spirit, professional development, and intercultural communication with Parsis in India and Zoroastrians from other countries. Expanding upon our exploration of the trip’s objectives and significance, we now provide a detailed account of the key events and activities that enriched our experience during our time in India.
During our visit, we had the privilege of meeting Parsi entrepreneurs to gain insight into their entrepreneurial mindset and witness first-hand the strength of Zoroastrian-run businesses. Our visits and meetings were aimed at familiarizing ourselves with the economic potential of Parsis, such as the Godrej Industries; see Picture 1. This conglomerate, founded by Ardeshir Godrej, exemplifies innovation, sustainability, and excellence in the real estate industry, setting new benchmarks for environmentally friendly projects across India. Tata exemplifies Zoroastrian values in business, with the Ratan Tata Institute dedicated to empowering women. The institute houses talented women in fashion and culinary arts, fostering a collaborative environment for mutual growth. Together, they strive to deliver meaningful value to the community. Ahura Restaurant captivates with its innovative business model, offering more than just a culinary experience. Beyond serving delectable Parsi dishes, Ahura extends its value proposition by selling food and spice packs to patrons who become enthusiasts of Parsi recipes through their dining experience. As a result, all these successful Zoroastrians have demonstrated their entrepreneurial spirit and are also known for their generosity, honesty, taking care of employees, and seeking toward the good of India and all its people.
visiting Godrej Factory as a part of Return to Root (TRT) program, 2 January 2024
Participating in the WZCC Pune Conclave, hosted by its Pune chapter from January 4th to 6th, 2024, offered us a unique platform to showcase ourselves and our project The Yazd Zoroastrian Cultural and Heritage Resort to Zoroastrian entrepreneurs. The primary focus of the conclave was to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship within the Zoroastrian community. It aimed to energize Zoroastrian entrepreneurial endeavors, emphasizing the significance of women in management positions and inspiring youth with words of wisdom centered on personal growth as a catalyst for business progress. During the event, we not only had the opportunity to present our project and convey insights from the Zoroastrian community in Iran, but also had the privilege to listen to presentations and speeches by other Zoroastrian entrepreneurs, learning about their achievements and initiatives; see Picture 2.
Participating in the Tigers’ Den – WZCC’s take on the popular Shark Tank – a pitch competition for young Zoroastrian entrepreneurs, offered a platform to showcase our business proposals to a panel of investors comprising of Dr. Naushad Forbes, Sam Balsara and Mandar Joshi. We made two presentations: the resort project, aiming to preserve Zoroastrian culture in Yazd, and the Raynaag project, which is focused on fostering economic unity through job creation and entrepreneurship training. Under the expert guidance of our coach Hormazd Charna, a seasoned Parsi entrepreneur, and with valuable input from judge Sam Balsara, our presentations collected enthusiastic praise and constructive feedback. Sam Balsara’s direction set us on the right path and expressed interest in further analysis. Their insight helped us refine our endeavors, while our compelling presentations and strategic networking attracted potential investors, significantly advancing our ventures. A memory of this event is captured in Picture 3.
Meeting with global president, Percy Master, and his committee as a post-conclave meeting on January 10, 2024, was a fantastic opportunity to establish strong connections aimed at empowering business ties between Iran and India; see Picture 4. It provided a platform to explore economic opportunities for Iranian entrepreneurs and discuss ways to support Iranian youth in their endeavors. Since the focus of WZCC is to provide entrepreneurial opportunities for youth while empowering them to build the future, we seized the opportunity to present our business proposal once again to Percy and his committee members. Introducing IZYN and presenting our plans for the Yazd Zoroastrian Cultural and Heritage Resort and a draft business plan help them to observe our mission and count on us to continue their business connection with Zoroastrian youth. The result of that business discussion was the climax of our journey, since we understood the strengths and weaknesses points, challenges and difficulties, while enabling confidence, eliminating the fear of failure and working as an agile entrepreneur.
The final evening of the three-day conclave took place at the Turf Club, marking a truly unforgettable night for us. The speakers underscored the significance of fostering commercial connections and strengthening global networks. Their insights inspired us to seek out new opportunities and boldly pursue them. Moreover, they took a moment to acknowledge the exemplary work of esteemed individuals, honoring them with plaques of appreciation for their noble contributions. See picture 5.
One of our goals, besides our business objectives, was to learn more about the Parsi cultural heritage. Meeting Dastur Kotwal was a valuable opportunity for us, as we gained a lot of knowledge from his expertise on the Zoroastrian religion; see Picture 6. We also had the privilege of being the guests of Khojeste and Firoza Mistree in Mumbai, who enlightened us about the Parsi social and cultural heritage and showed us their true love to the Iranian Zoroastrians by conducting several research about Zoroastrianism. Moreover, praying in the Udvada Atash Behram was the most spiritually enriching part of our trip.
Achievements and Outcomes
The trip to India was a successful and productive trip for IZYN, as it helped us to achieve some of our goals and to create some new opportunities for the future. A few of the achievements and outcomes of the trip included: Gaining an understanding the importance of WZCC and the opportunities for the Zoroastrian community in Iran to cooperate with WZCC. We realized that WZCC is a powerful and influential organization that can help us to access the economic resources and opportunities that are available for Zoroastrians around the world, and to create a strong and sustainable economic network among Zoroastrians. Getting acquainted with the Parsis’ business ecosystem, we learned that Parsis have a unique and effective economic system that is based on trust, cooperation, and philanthropy, and that has enabled them to achieve remarkable success and prosperity in various fields and industries. Furthermore, our observations highlighted the robust and unified economic network among Parsis, which not only provides support and empowerment to Parsi entrepreneurs and businesses but also encourages innovation and social responsibility within the community.
Through the three-day WZCC conclave, we connected with some influential people like Behram Pastakia, who is a seasoned radiologist and FEZANA member. When talked to him, on the way back to Mumbai from Pune. He gave us the opportunity to ask some questions to develop our business and empower the sense of being an entrepreneur. We learned a lot about business principles, the Zoroastrian foreign community, and our key role in surviving Iranian Zoroastrian culture and business. For example, the definition of Value, (Time + Service) / Cost, the significance of worldwide connection and the importance of showing Zoroastrian festivals by making multimedia content from them. Also, Behram was the one who encouraged us to write this article for FEZANA journal. We want to thank him for all his guidance and efforts to preserve the Zoroastrian community. See picture 7.
Another valuable achievement of our trip was getting to know the Parsi culture. There were some cultural differences between us, as two communities that had lived separately for centuries, but what surprised us more, were the many similarities that we found. It felt as if we had found relatives that we had been away from for years. Moreover, we were amazed by the love and affection that the Parsis had for their motherland Iran and the Iranians.
IZYN Future Plans
The trip to India is not the end of our journey, but rather the beginning of a new chapter for IZYN. We have many plans and actions that we intend to pursue and implement soon, based on the achievements and opportunities that we gained from the trip. In this section, we will outline some of our main plans and actions, and the expected outcomes and impacts that they will have.
Holding a Series of Programs like Return to Root (RTR): One of our plans is to hold a series of programs like RTR, which will aim to get other Zoroastrians from Iran and other countries more acquainted with the Iranian culture and the Zoroastrian heritage in Iran. We believe that such programs will help to create a stronger bond and a deeper understanding among Zoroastrians and to foster a sense of pride and identity among the Zoroastrian youth.
Producing Content about the Events of the Zoroastrian Community: Another plan is to produce and share content about the events and activities of the Zoroastrian community in Iran, such as the Sadeh celebration, the Tirgan festival, and Nowruz. We believe that such content will help to raise awareness and appreciation of the Zoroastrian culture and traditions and to showcase the diversity and vibrancy of the Zoroastrian community. We also hope that such content will inspire and motivate more Zoroastrians to participate and engage in the events to preserve and promote them.
Participating in Future Events and Maintaining Communications: Another plan is to keep in touch and collaborate with the Parsis in India and the Zoroastrians from other countries, and to join future events and forums for the Zoroastrian community, such as the next WZCC conclaves. We believe that this will help us to expand our network and exposure, and to learn from the best practices and experiences of other Zoroastrians. We also hope that this will enable us to showcase our achievements and projects, and to attract more support and recognition for our goals and vision.
WZCC Conclave Banquet at Turf Club Pune, 6 January 2024
One of our main future actions is to create business plan for the Yazd Zoroastrian Cultural and Heritage Resort with the aim of providing an ecosystem designed to preserve Zoroastrian social, economic, and cultural values while fostering a sustainable environment for the community and heritage of Zoroastrians in Yazd; see Picture 8. Currently, we are in the process of conducting feasibility studies and further analysis to ensure the successful execution of this project. The resort project comprises various practical and profitable sections, including not only initiatives to preserve Zoroastrian culture and values but also sustainable and functional components aimed at creating a valuable ecosystem. To initialize the resort project and ensure its success, various tasks and duties must be undertaken by IZYN members.
- Roxana’s desire is to showcase the value of Zoroastrian cultures to global Zoroastrians by making media
- Shiva is researching ways to improve the quality of life by leveraging tourism
- Arezoo’s mission is to reconstruct Zoroastrian historical sites to highlight the value of Zoroastrian heritage
- Parisa’s focus is on food tourism by establishing old Zoroastrian and Parsis restaurant
- Radman wants to develop a co-working space and provide international job positions for Zoroastrian youth
- Siavash goal is to develop sustainability in Zoroastrian villages to enhance their economy and society by tourism
- Pedram role is to manage the project’s media, marketing, and social channels to access more resources
Closing Remarks
In conclusion, our trip to India was a transformative journey that enriched both our personal and professional growth as Zoroastrian youth. We are grateful for the opportunity to connect and collaborate with the Parsis in India, as well as Zoroastrians from other countries, and learn from their culture and achievements. Moreover, we take pride in our contributions to the Zoroastrian community and the projects aimed at preserving and promoting Zoroastrian heritage in Iran. We hope that our experience will serve as an inspiration for other Zoroastrian youth, encouraging them to join us in our mission and vision and to participate in future events and programs that foster unity among Zoroastrians. Looking ahead, we are eager to continue our journey, striving to make a positive impact on the world.
Appreciation On behalf of IZYN I express my heartfelt appreciation to Farrokh Mistree, Janet K. Allen, Edul Daver, Karishma Koka, and Mehran Sepehri for their dedication and efforts in developing the online course “On Becoming Zoroastrian Entrepreneurs in Iran.” Their unwavering support and guidance have been invaluable in empowering the Zoroastrian youth, and their remarkable contributions have greatly contributed to our growth and development.
A special thank you to Percy Master and his committee members, as well as Viraf Deboo, for their assistance in facilitating our participation in the WZCC conclave. Your generosity in waiving the conclave fee and providing support to aspiring entrepreneurs is truly commendable. I extend my gratitude to Behroze Daruwala for her advocacy of women’s leadership and to Hormazd Charna, Rashna Jehani, and Jehaan Kotwal for their unwavering support of youth entrepreneurship. Additionally, I am deeply grateful to Khojeste and Firoza Mistree for their warm hospitality and for graciously hosting us in their home during our stay in Mumbai. Your kindness and generosity made our experience truly memorable. I thank Anita and Shyam Rajhans for their hospitality and assistance during our time in Pune. Your support and kindness were greatly appreciated. And finally, special thanks to Farrokh Mistree for his efforts in planning this trip and all his support.
