Global Working Committees
Heritage, Arts & Culture Committee
Director – Meher Bhesania
The work of this Committee is to preserve the heritage, arts and culture side of Zoroastrianism. Several films and books have been published by the Committee to build awareness in the minds of Zoroastrians worldwide. For more details see the Heritage, Arts and Culture section on this website.
Demographics
Director – Roshan Rivetna
Despite the vicissitudes of time and history the essence of Zarathushtra’s message has been preserved and perpetuated as new generations of Zoroastrians recognize the remarkable relevance of ancient faith in today’s world. As the Zoroastrian community is a community without borders, this Committee’s work is to undertake various surveys and keep a demographic count of Zoroastrians residing worldwide.
Education
Director – Farrokh Rustomji & Farrokh Mistree
This Committee focuses on offering support to Zoroastrian students who wish to pursue higher studies in India and overseas. This Committee mentors young ZOROASTRIAN’s in their home country to get admission in a good university. In partnership with the Zoroastrian Faculty Network, the students learn how to create economic, cultural, intellectual value and to reinvest in the Zoroastrian community. For more details visit the following websites:
- zoroastrianfacultynetwork.org
- R D Sethna Scholarships – rdsethnascholarships.org
- Paras Education Trust – isloan.org
- The J.N. Tata Endowment for higher education of Indians jntataendowment.org
Entrepreneurship
Director - Percy Master
Entrepreneurship is the hallmark in Zoroastrianism. The World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce, established in the year 2000 looks into this area. The Chamber’s mission is to energize Zarathushti entrepreneurial spirit in countries of the world through a networking of businessmen and professionals. Business initiatives are planned to allow members to advertise their businesses and concepts. Financial assistance is provided for startups and expansion of existing business. Promoting entrepreneurship in children is of paramount importance and efforts are being made in this area too to hone their skills.
For more details visit: www.wzcc.org
Infrastructure
Directors – Rustom Engineer and Rohinton Rivetna
The Committee focusses on looking into areas of safe drinking water and solar power needs of our members residing in remote villages of Gujarat, and construction of Dar-e-Mehrs overseas.
Mobeds Welfare
Directors - Khurshed Dastoor, Dinshaw Tamboly and Tehemton Mirza
This Committee provides valuable religious guidance and support to the Mobeds, including education and training to youth from Athornan families in performing the rites and rituals pertaining to Zoroastrian religion.
Operations
Directors – Neville Shroff, Rohinton Rivetna, Yazdi Tantra and Meher Bhesania
The Operations Committee also called the Core-Committee looks into operational and administrative aspects of GCST. Apart from this the Committee handles the work relating to preparation of guidelines for the World Zoroastrian Congress relating to adults and youth; the Awards and Recognition Program for the World Zoroastrian Congresses and inviting bids from GWG participating regions for allocating the congresses to the next host cities.
Youth
Director - Arzan Wadia
This Committee looks into launching of new initiatives for Zoroastrian youth worldwide. The programs are designed to connect youth from all over the world through short (10-14 day) trips of India and strengthen community identify amongst Zoroastrian youth across the world.
Community Strengthening (Resettlement)
Directors – Alayar Dabestani & Homi Gandhi
This Committee looks into matters relating to strengthening of relationship between Zoroastrians in Iran and around the world. Offering Scholarships, help to new immigrants in finding jobs and places to live and learn English are among some of the important aspects being looked into by this Committee.
Legal
Director – Burjor Antia
This Committee is devoted into looking of legal matters pertaining to GCZT and filing of annual reports and returns to relevant authorities in India.
UN NGO
Directors - Behram Pastakia and Afreed Mistry
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 system. The UN NGO Committee presents reports on a variety of topics and actionable points relating to Zoroastrianism and various topics at various UN Conferences. For more details visit: https://fezana.org/category/un-ngo/