Dear FEZANA friends:

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of FEZANA.  Today, we are estimating a Zarathushti population of over 15,000 in the USA and another 7,500 in Canada.  We have a large proportion of younger Zarathushtis who grew up in this part of the world.  We are busy, thriving and growing.  We have good disposable incomes that we are willing to use for good causes.  Its time now to look beyond our present total dependance on volunteers to perform all the services that we need from their homes during their spare time; and evaluate how best we can continue to increase and solidify our footprints on North American soil.

The time is therefore ripe to start building the necessary infrastructure (office space, clerical and administrative support) that will ensure that all the Member associations as well as the North American Zarathushti community can avail of FEZANA’s benefits to the fullest extent.  A professional staff and a central office space for conducting the adminstrative tasks of communication, correspondence, recordkeeping, publishing, archiving, etc., will greatly assist the current and future elected officers of FEZANA in performing their tasks diligently and efficiently.

Accordingly, an Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) was formed in November 2006.  The IWG has now submitted its findings and recommendations in a report (attached), which will be the centerpiece of our discussions at the upcoming Annual General Meeting in Dallas on April 6,7,8, 2007.

Please review the Infrastructure Working Group Report carefully and if you have any questions, bring them up now, before the AGM, so we can discuss them and find solutions.  Distribute the report to your Association members and come prepared to discuss and vote on how FEZANA can raise the funds to do what the report recommends.

I am personally committed to see that FEZANA begins to set up the office and adminstrative structure this year, during its 20th Annivesary year.  I need your support.

Rustom Kevala
FEZANA President

New York, NY, Feb. 27, 2007 –ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATION OF GREATER NEW YORK (ZAGNY) today announced that Zoroastrian organizations throughout the United States and Canada will celebrate the important festival of NauRooz (pronounced Noh-Rooz), March 21, 2007, marking the official celebration of the Zoroastrian New Year at the turn of the spring equinox.

ZAGNY will mark the occasion with a prayer ceremony at 4-30 PM on March 21 at ARBAB RUSTAM GUIV DARBE-MEHR, 106 Pomona Road, Suffern, NY 10901.  Get driving directions here.

Media and the public are invited to attend. Please see the full Press Release here: NauRooz2007-ZAGNY.pdf

The more traditional NauRooz celebration takes place on March 24th.

• Mehraban and Morvorid Kheradi Endowment Scholarship–The FEZANA Scholar
• Banoobai and Maneckshaw Kapadia Endowment Scholarship
• FEZANA Scholarships

The application form for the 2006-2007 Academic Scholarship annual competition is attached here: FEZANA Scholarships Application Form

Best wishes,

Dolly Dastoor
Zena Irani
Jerry Kheradi
Purvez Rustomji
Anahita Sidhwa
Katayun Kapadia (ex-officio)