1 Overview

• Origins • Purpose • Tour • Long-Term Vision • Where We Are

2 Origins

• The Idea

3 Origins

• The Idea

• Q: Why instead of ? – Difficult given current political situation. – When tensions settle, we will eventually expand to Iran.

4 Origins

• The Idea

• Tying with UNESCO-PARZOR • 11 year track record of working on Zarathushti causes, esp. in . • UNESCO recognized. • Apolitical.

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What do we want participants to experience?

• Bring together young Zarathushtis from across the world to recognize their shared commonalities and traditions.

• Participate in educational and community- service oriented activities which reinforce and reinvigorate their community identity.

6 How Will RTR Trips Work?

• Organize subsidized tours for youth – And eventually unsubsidized trips for other interested groups.

• Usually 10 days in India – Exploring and Gujarat. – Initial tour will be 14 days and will include WZC.

• Small groups – 15-20 participants, plus organizers and guides.

• Two types of tours – Track A: Will feature religious institutions. – Track B: Will emphasize social and cultural institutions. 7

Why Subsidize?

• Some Zarathushti youth cannot afford such a trip. – We could price discriminate, but problems come about.

• Participants who have the means will contribute to the community in other ways. – Well-heeled participants will see people and institutions that can use their support.

• Organizers will not receive subsidies.

8 / Varoli River

9 Sanjan

Archaeological site of the first Dakhma Parsi settlement 10 Sanjan

Sanjan Stumbh Memorial Column WZO Guest House

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12 Iranshah

13 Udvada

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Kadmi Atash Behram Shenshai Atash Behram

15 16 17 Atash Behram

18 Meherjirana Library

19 Traditional Crafts & Kusti Weaving

20 Dahanu

21 Mumbai

• Heritage Tour Walk

• Bikha Behram Well

• Irani & Parsi Restaurants

• Dadar Food Institute

• Atash Behrams and Agiaries

• Cusrow Baug

22 Dadar Madressa

23 Jimmy Mistry’s House

24 Participants After the Tour

Upon returning, participants from the initial tour will:

1. Be expected to take leadership roles in their local and national Zarathushti communities.

2. Have opportunities to remain engaged with what they have experienced.

25 RTR is Not Just A One-Off

• Participants will remain active as alums.

• Initial trip will take place Dec 2013-Jan 2014. Subsequent trips will take place regularly, just like Birthright- Israel.

• Hence the need to develop a corpus.

26 Where We Are

• Mapped the tour & itinerary for inaugural trip.

• Constructed and designed the website.

• Currently accepting applications.

• Raising money.

27 Program Management Committee

• Dr Shernaz Cama, co-chair

• Aban Marker Kabraji, co-chair

• Dinsha Mistree, North America ([email protected])

• Rosheen Kabraji, UK/Europe and

• Shireen Havewala, India, Iran, and UAE

• Kaiyan Mistree, Hong Kong, Singapore, , and

• Representatives from contributing national associations (youth)

28 Youth Liaisons

Dinsha Rosheen Shireen Kaiyan 29 www.zororoots.org 30