The Zoroastrian Return to Roots is pleased to announce the opening of applications for Return To Roots 3 Trip scheduled for 9th to 22nd March 2016.
Return to Roots is a youth-initiated program designed to strengthen community identity amongst Zoroastrian youth the world over.
The idea of a Zoroastrian Return to Roots Program was born out of the increasing disconnect between those Zoroastrians in the diaspora with their ancestral communities in Iran and India. It is a unique means of fostering community links and identity by taking small groups of youth on trips to explore their religious, social and cultural heritage.
The Return To Roots program is a UNESCO PARZOR led initiative and was founded in 2013 by four Zoroastrian youth spread over three continents.
Dinsha Mistree, Rosheen Kabraji, Kaiyan Mistree and Shireen Havewala initiated the program under the co-chairs Aban Marker-Kabraji and Shernaz Cama. And at its core, the program continues to empower these youth to continue the program under the guidance of the co-chairs.
Over the last two tours, 30 Zoroastrian youth from United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Pakistan and India have had an opportunity to visit India on these trips. Many of the Fellows help in organizing subsequent trips and act as ambassadors of the program in their local, national and international communities in the diaspora.
Find out about the RTR Fellows at this link: http://zororoots.org/category/fellows/
James Darius Ball says
“[RTR] gave me a feeling of belonging and acceptance in our global Zoroastrian community.”
Farah Minwalla says
“I don’t feel as lonely within my faith and religious community as I have for most of my life. By being a part of the RTR program I have finally found a wonderful group of young adults who I hope to stay in touch with as life-long friends.”
Arash Jahanian says
“Part of the uniqueness of the Return to Roots journey was that it was at once an individual and a shared experience. We each explored our religion and ourselves through our individual lenses, yet the group experience fed into and informed each journey.”
Veera Rustomji says
The RTR program is a very real- istic approach to religion…. it encourages dialogue and creates an avenue for your opinion to matter and to be valued as a young Zoroastrian.”
Personally at Parsi Khabar we have had the unique opportunity and honor of having been involved with the Program from inception. We completely believe in the mission of the program. We encourage all our readers and friends to look at it with the intention of either participating themselves or getting their daughters and sons, sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, grandkids et al to attend the program. Take it from us, the experience will be life-transforming.
This will be the third tour after the first two very successful tours in 2013-14 and in 2015.
Applications from any part of the world, including Indian born and based participants, are encouraged.
The tentative itinerary will take participants to Mumbai, New Delhi, and Gujarat.
The tour in 2016 will overlap with a series of exhibitions and events being organized by PARZOR and the Government of India in New Delhi around March 21st 2016.
Below are some useful links
For questions about the program see FAQ
Learn about the 30 amazing Return To Roots Fellows from all over the world
The 2015 Return To Roots Trip Report
The 2013-14 Return to Roots Trip Report
Check out Return To Roots on Facebook