2^nd Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize

Applications Invited

Announcement: 2^nd Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize.

We are thrilled to announce the call for submission for the 2^nd Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize, a prestigious award named in honor of the renowned Pakistani- American novelist, Bapsi Sidhwa. This biennial award promotes fiction by Zoroastrian authors and honors the legacy of Bapsi Sidhwa, the first recognized Zoroastrian author from Pakistan.

Eligibility:

• The Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize will be granted to writers of fiction, accepting novels and collections of short stories.
• Open to Zoroastrian authors aged 18 years and above.
• Each submission must be the original work of a single author.
  Co-authored books, edited books, anthologies and self-published books are not eligible.
• Submissions should be in English and must be first editions.
• Works must be published between January 2022 and April 2024.

Submission Period:

• Submissions should include a completed Application Form.
• A hard copy and a digital copy is required. The digital copy will be sent electronically to the judges. The hard copy will be added to the FIRES library collection.
• The submission deadline is June 1, 2024 for the 2024 award.

Submission Process:

• Fill out the online application form below.
• Hard copies must be sent or delivered to FIRES/ZAH at 526 Woodbend Lane, Houston, Texas 77079.
• Digital copy should be sent to info@fires-fezna.org
• For any questions, contact aban@coatingindustries.com

Prize:

• The winner of the 2nd Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize will receive US$ 2000, a trophy, and the opportunity to showcase their work at the 18th North American Zoroastrian Congress in Houston, Texas, in December 2024.
• Finalists and winner will be announced at the FEZANA Awards ceremony at the 18th North American Congress. The winner is encouraged to attend or delegate a representative to accept the prize.

Selection and Adjudication:

• A panel of judges will select finalists and choose the winner.
• The organizer and judges are not responsible for plagiarism issues among finalists.
• In case of insufficient entries, the prize will not be assigned.
• The decision of the finalists and winner is final.

Background and history:

• The Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize is established by the Library Committee of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH), home of the FEZANA Information Research and Education System (FIRES).
• FIRES is a centralized collection of materials related to Zarathushti faith, culture and history.
• The Prize honors and promotes the work of Zoroastrian writers in line with Bapsi Sidhwa’s legacy.
• Named after the first recognized Zoroastrian writer from Pakistan, Bapsi Sidhwa, the Prize aims to recognize literary works biennially.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and celebrating the rich tapestry of Zoroastrian literature in honor of Bapsi Sidhwa.

Apply Now

FEZANA Information, Research and Education System (FIRES) is a centralized collection of books, manuscripts, literature, magazines, and scholarly research materials in print and electronic form, primarily pertaining to Zarathushti faith, culture, and history.

FIRES was established in 2010, and is housed and managed by the Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) Library. It is accessible by all FEZANA Associations and individuals.

Register Here

Scholarships 2024
Deadline 30th April 2024

Applications for the Shapoorji Pallonji Scholarship are now open for MA and MPhil/PhD students. Students approaching Zoroastrianism from a variety of different disciplinary backgrounds, such as historical, linguistic, or study of religions, are all invited to apply.

The deadline for applications is April 30th, 2024. Find more information and details on eligible programs, follow this link: Shapoorji Pallonji scholarships | SOAS

For enquiries, please email scholarships@soas.ac.uk and you can sign up to our mailing list to see all opportunities the Institute has to offer.

Hear from last year's scholars

Arish Dastur

"As I approach the end of the third year of my PhD, I offer my most sincere gratitude to the Shapoorji Pallonji Scholarships for helping enable this wonderful journey. My PhD thesis Imagination and Meaning in the Zoroastrian Yašts is progressing very well. The third year of my PhD has been rich and productive, and a majority of the writing that shall be shaped into my final thesis has been completed. I shall use the fourth year of my PhD to finesse and finalise my thesis, and I am on schedule to submit it for examination on 15 July 2024."

 Shiruy Billimoria

"I was grew up in Bombay (Mumbai), to a working-class Parsi Zoroastrian family where the tenets of our religion – Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds, were deeply embedded into my personality due to the rigorous efforts of my parents, and later on my teachers. It is no exaggeration to state that I simply would not have been able to attend SOAS if it was not for the Shapoorji Pallonji Scholarship - without the scholarship there would be no MA for me. It gave me the opportunity that I had been working towards for a very long time to fully focus on my studies during the entirety of the year."

Visit our website to find out more about the Institute.

SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
Tel: +44 (0)207 074 5146
Email: SSPIZS@soas.ac.uk

Atash nu Parab Celebration

(Day Dedicated to Holy Fire)

Saturday, April 20^th, 2024, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time

Join us at https://www.namcmobeds.org/

Get ready to ignite your spirit and join us for a special YouTube premiere celebration on Saturday, April 20th, at 10 AM EST. 

We will be celebrating Atash nu Parab (the Day of Holy Fire) with the recital of Atash Niyaesh and Tandarosti. 

The prayer text and translation will be displayed side by side for all of us to understand the meaning of our prayers. 

The prayers are recited in sync by Ervad. Mehbad Dastur and his son Ervad. Xersis Dastur from the Mehraban Guiv Darbe Mehr, Zoroastrian Society of Ontario (ZSO) in Toronto, Canada. 

This will be followed by the NAMC IZS audio podcast on "Adar Yazad" by Brigadier Ervad. Behram Panthaki.

We invite people of all faiths to unite and celebrate with us.

Please mark your calendars and prepare to be inspired as we commemorate this special occasion.

Join us as we light up the environment with joy, harmony, and the spirit of unity.

North American Mobeds Council

https://www.namcmobeds.org/

URGENT APPEAL FOR A KIDNEY DONOR FOR A YOUNG PARSI LADY: BLOOD GROUP “O”

The following is a Medical Appeal to North American Zarathustis shared with FEZANA by Shahrukh Marfatia for his daughter who lives in Calgary.

Shahrukh writes:

It has been four years since my first appeal for a potential donor for my daughter who suffers from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Sadly, Covid stalled everything, and we could only pick up the donor search again in the past year or so. We did find a donor who registered with the Calgary Hospital Admin Transplant Centre. We were very hopeful that our daughter’s kidney transplant would have been done by now and that she would be leading a good, normal, quality life with her husband and her young boys.

After all the tests and anxious waiting, we were informed a few months back, that the donor is an incompatible match for my daughter which could lead to a rejection of the donor kidney.

Hence, my daughterand the donor were entered into the Canadian National program called the Paired Exchange Program (PEP).  This is an option that matches incompatible donor-recipient pairs with other pairs, and they exchange’ donors. Unfortunately, we have now been informed in the February matching round (there are only three/four yearly) that they could not find a suitable donor for my daughter from the PEP. We are therefore, again, making all efforts to find a direct matching donor for my daughter.

My daughter’s blood group is “O” and we appeal now for American and Canadian donors who are blood group “O” as well. She will be 40 this year and has twin boys who are now 7 years old.Managing family and with her even more declining health situation, as you can imagine, is tough on her. Her key CKD markers like GFR are now at the final stage - 5.

My family, and I would be so, so grateful if you can consider my appeal to be a donor for my daughter. I know that this requires a tremendous sacrifice on the part of a donor, and we will be very, very thankful for this gift of life to my daughter with your altruistic, selfless act. Please also share this appeal with your friends and communities where you feel this would be appropriate.

I hasten to add that all admissible expenses for medical and if needed travel and accommodation expenses will be paid for, in accordance with the health system guidelines in the US and Canada. The plan would be, if a matching donor was found from this appeal, in Canada, then the potential donor would be referred to the Calgary Transplant Centre. For the US potential donor, the transplant surgery would take place in the US. We are currently exploring a couple of transplant hospitals on the East Coast.

If any of you would be so kindly interested, please do email me at: kmsdonorreplies@hotmail.com and once I hear from you I willbe happy to put you in touch with the respective Canada and US Hospital transplant offices.

Thank you and with kind regards.

Sincerely,

Shahrukh Marfatia

A Distressed Father

FEZANA Interfaith Activities Committee in collaboration with Project C.A.R.V. (Community Awareness for Relationship Violence) presents:

Teen Dating Violence
Become Aware     Help Prevent

Tuesday, February 20th, 2024, at 8 PM Eastern | 5 PM Pacific

In this virtual program, we aim to raise awareness about Teen Dating Violence, and inspire you to join hands with those who are already fighting to prevent and end it. We will also provide the attendees with a basic Toolkit on Teen Dating Violence Prevention.

Our Speakers:

• Mishal Ali is a senior at Klein High School and a Co-Founder of Project C.A.R.V.

• Mahtab B. Dastur is a senior at Klein High School and a Co-Founder of Project C.A.R.V.

• Susana Pulido is a senior at Klein High School and a Co-Founder of Project C.A.R.V.

• Elizabell Vo is a junior at Klein High School and a Co-Founder of Project C.A.R.V.

• Giovanni Valenzuela is a senior at Klein High School and an active advocate for TDV Awareness

Program Moderated by:

Bakhtavar Desai & Homi Gandhi,

Co-Chairs, FEZANA Interfaith Activities Committee

Register Now

The California Zorastrian Cener (CZC) of Public Relations Committee invites you:

The class is designed as consecutive sessions. If interested, please plan to attend the first session to be included on the class email list. If you are unable to attend the first session, make sure to email us at pr@czc.org.

Join Zoom Meeting

The Ontario Zoroastrian Community Foundation (OZCF) wants your continued support to get them.

From Here

To Here

OZCF thanks each and every one of you for getting OZCF to this stage. As we approach the final stretch of this historic achievement for all Zoroastrians. OZCF is reaching out for your continued support once again and requesting your wholehearted participation by clicking below and donate to:

OZCF's Funds For Faith 1 Million Challenge

Click on the link CGCG SM FEB 2024-ENGLISH FINAL.mp4 and listen as Julie Aubé, Executive Director at Maison McCulloch Hospice speaks to the impact of Charitable Gaming.

FEZANA is thrilled to share momentous news with you! The vibrant tradition of Sadeh, our cherished mid-winter festival, has officially been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity!

This prestigious recognition is a testament to the enduring legacy of Sadeh, a celebration that transcends borders and unites Zoroastrians around the world. From the joyous crackling of bonfires to the heartwarming communal feasts, Sadeh embodies our shared values of resilience, hope, and the triumphant return of spring.

To learn more about this significant achievement and delve deeper into the rich history and customs of Sadeh, we invite you to explore the following resources:

UNESCO Inscription Page: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/sadeh-sada-celebration-01713

As we rejoice in this collective victory, we encourage you to share your own Sadeh celebrations with the world! Tag @FEZANA on your social media posts featuring photos and videos. We will be actively reposting and amplifying your voices, showcasing the diverse and vibrant ways our global community honors this ancient tradition.

Additionally, feel free to directly message our social media accounts with your contributions – we'd love to feature them prominently!

With warmest regards and Happy Sadeh,

Cody K. Partovi

FEZANA Secretary