Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America
Representing 26 Zoroastrian Associations in the United States and Canada
On-site: Tanya Bharda, FEZANA UN NGO Committee, tbharda@hotmail.com, Mobile: +1-416.629.0381
FEZANA: Afreed Mistry, FEZANA Public Relations Committee, afreed.mistry@gmail.com, Mobile: +1-416.302.9754
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ZOROASTRIAN DELEGATION TO ATTEND THE 65TH ANNUAL UN DPI/NGO CONFERENCE AT THE UN HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK
NEW YORK, August 22, 2014 – FEZANA will be participating at the 65th Annual UN Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization Conference to be held at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA.
Tanya Bharda from Toronto, Canada and Homi Gandhi from New Jersey, USA will be representing the Zoroastrians at the UN From August 27 – 29, 2014.
The conference is titled, “2015 and Beyond: Our Action Agenda” and the theme of the conference is, “The role of civil society in the post 2015 development agenda.” This gathering at the UN is going to develop an “Action Agenda” to assemble messaging, advocacy strategies, partnerships and accountability frameworks to lead upto intergovernmental negotiations at the beginning of the 69th session of the General Assembly for adoption of the post-2015 development agenda which will take place in September 2015.
About United Nations
The United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems that challenge humanity. Cooperating in this effort are more than 30 affiliated organizations, known together as the UN sytem. For more information visit www.un.org. In 1946, the Department of Public Information (DPI) was established. Their main goal is to promote global awareness and understanding of the work of the UN.
About Zoroastrians
Zoroastrians have long served as effective bridge builders in interfaith dialogue as they see from their own faith, traditions of truth, righteousness, charity, beneficence and respect for creation reflected in traditions of the religions of both the occident and the orient. Zoroastrianism, founded circa 1500 BCE, is credited to be one of the oldest monotheistic religions, influencing post-exilic Judaism, which adopted some Zoroastrian beliefs such as the ultimate victory of good over evil and the resurrection of souls. These percepts were then transmitted through Judaism to Christianity, and later to Islam. Zoroastrianism flourished as the imperial religion of three Persian empires, those of the Achaemenians, Parthians and Sasanians, and was the dominant religion from Turkey, and eastward to China during those times. North America’s Zoroastrian community includes those who arrived from the Indian subcontinent, known as Parsis, and those who came directly from Iran seeking religious freedom.
About FEZANA
Founded in 1987, FEZANA serves as the coordinating body for 26 Zoroastrian associations throughout the United States and Canada. FEZANA promotes the study, understanding and practice of the Zoroastrian faith in North America., represents the interests of its member associations, and carries out philanthropic and charitable activities worldwide. The FEZANA Journal, FEZANA’s publication of record, circulates to Zoroastrian households in more than 22 countries, as well as to scholars, academicians and religious organizations worldwide. For more information visit: www.fezana.org.
