Zarathushti Heritage and Community Center Houston Texas December

Zarathushti Heritage and Community Center Houston, Texas, December 31, 2008 Commemorating Togetherness Working Together in the Spirit of Hamazori. PROGRAM 9: 30 Registration 10: 00 Benediction and Monajat Talk on Hamazor - Message from Er. Ramiyar Karanjia Welcome and self-introductions Background, Current Status & Future Directions Web presence (www. Zoroastrians. net) Review of IIIrd CTR Report 11: 30 Discussion and Assignments 1: 00 Lunch - hosted by ZAH 2: 00 Discussion and Assignments (Contd) 3: 30 -4: 00 Summation & Next Steps

DISCUSSION POINTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. World Congress RFP, criteria, selection and next venue - F. Mehta, B. Pastakia, R. Rivetna Promotion of Nauruz celebration - Fariborz Rahnamooon Community Enhancement Projects - Needs vs Resources - Screening eligible Zarathushti women for breast cancer - Operation Eyesight, collections for Dubai congress - PARZOR, WZCF, K. R. Cama Inst, schools, colleges, hospitals, disaster relief, etc. - Education and medical support to Mobeds, families PRG - Manuscript restoration, archives and archeological preservation Coordination of UN & Interfaith programs - Parliament of Worlds Religions Zarathushti Diaspora: Duties, Rights and Privileges Passing the Torch to the Next Generation - YLEP Religious/Cultural Infrastructure worldwide (agiaries, centers …) If time permits - New items for information only: - Support for Zoroastrian Bank, Mumbai - Code of Civil conduct - Cultivation of Ethic of collective giving Economic support for Iran. Addressing migration of Zarathushtis from Iran to North America.

“COMING TOGETHER ROUNDTABLE” - OUR COMMUNITY Rohinton M. Rivetna • We are a worldwide “Community Without Borders. ” • Overcoming many vicissitudes over the centuries, our Community has grown and prospered, and has become the hallmark of integrity, industry, goodness and charity, wherever we have settled. • The stature and prestige that our community has achieved, was built with wisdom and foresight by generations before us. • 50 years ago, we were oceans away. 25 years ago, we were continents away. Today, we live in a global village, barely a click of a mouse away. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to preserve and protect our worldwide “Community Without Borders. ”

A REMARKABLE BONDING • Our Community is blessed with instant bonds of kinship, wherever we may reside in the world. • Our actions must be deliberate to strengthen, not fragment this remarkable bonding. • We can accomplish much by Coming Together and Working Together. • Our tradition teaches us, and history confirms that there is Strength in Togetherness. • • • The Barsom - In Togetherness lies our Strength The payvand - Importance of staying connected Hamazori Hamazor Baad, Hamazor Hama Asho Baad “May we be united in strength, May we be united in strength with all righteous people”

BACKGROUND • First “Coming Together Roundtable”, in 2005 at the Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress, London. • Developed a list of issues, challenges and projects. A vision was presented. • 2 nd Roundtable in Mumbai, on January 8, 2007. Developed a list of Actionable Items with owners responsible for followup. • 3 rd Roundtable in Mumbai, on January 15, 2008. Established a web presence and part-time administrator. • We are gathered here today for the 4 th Roundtable to build upon the good work done by many around the world. • We are gathered here today to strengthen our bonds through common action. • We must focus on social togetherness, harmony and cooperation, with respect for our religious diversity. This is a “Zarathushti Chaordica” -Bringing order out of chaos. No Organization left behind. No Zarathushti left behind.

VISION Vision for the Community: “ To nurture a caring, compassionate, altruistic, harmonious, observant, esteemed and prosperous worldwide Community. ”

MISSION Mission (binds us together): “ To come together and work together in hamazori for the Zarathushti and global communities. ” • • Strengthen hamazori and bring Ashoi within our worldwide community through dialogue and joint action. Dialogue brings hearts together and Action brings minds together MANY ACTIONS - ONE CREATION MANY VOICES - ONE VISION

PRESERVATION OF COMMUNITY • • • Adversarial/confrontational dialogue breeds contempt Appreciative inquiry builds respect. We are engaged in Participatory consensus building We are Coming Together to Work Together, to energize the Zarathushti spirit of Hamazori (Togetherness) for the enhancement of our Social Capital. Work in the spirit of service to the community, with empathy for others. Consider it a privilege to serve. Ushta Ahmai Hyat Ashai (Happiness to him, for sake of Virtue) CO-EXISTENTIALISM IS THE MESSAGE

Five Elements of a Cohesive Team (with acknowledgments to an unknown source) • • • Individuals around the table trust one another. Then engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas They commit to decisions and plans of actions. They hold one another accountable for delivering against those plans. They focus on the achievement of collective results. We must constantly strive to do things that seem impossible, for in doing so, we move society forward. RESPECT FOR: RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY

WHERE HAVE WE COME FROM? WHAT HAVE WE DONE WELL? • We have Come Together several times: London 2005, Mumbai 2007 and 2008. • We have done a good job of identifying a large number of issues, challenges and projects. • We have identified ownership for some of these items. • Much good work has been done by people around the world. But much work is left to do…

WHERE ARE WE GOING? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO BETTER? We can actualize our mission through a networking of our Community organizations worldwide to work on issues, challenges and projects, in regards, exclusively, to our community’s socio-economic-welfare needs. • We need to do a better job of coordination and followup. • We need to structure ourselves better - our new administraor is a first step. In the end we must remember the ten little words: If it is to be, It is up to me.