15th North American Zarathushti Congress
PRESS RELEASE – 15TH NORTH AMERICAN ZARATHUSHTI CONGRESS, DEC 29-31, 2010
Tthe 15th North American Zarathushti Congress is to be held from December 29-31, 2010 in Houston at The Intercontinental Hotel in the Galleria area. This is a biennial meeting, with an expected attendance of over 500 scholars, doctors, lawyers, technocrats, educationalists, businessmen from the U.S. and Canada as well as other parts of the world. This Congress is organized by the Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) under the umbrella of the Federation of Zoroastrians in North America..
The theme of the NAZC is “Preserve the past, Protect the present, and Perfect the future”. The three-day event includes a comprehensive program of workshops, seminars, presentations on religious identity in a diverse society, youth leadership, and community-building starting with an inaugural ceremony performed by Zoroastrian priests from North America. Highlights include exhibits, book launching, leadership awards, and cultural entertainment. Confirmed speakers include noted scholars and community leaders from the U.S., Canada, England, and India.
As we are sure you already know, Zoroastrianism is the world’s oldest surviving monotheistic religion, predating — and influencing — Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism. It was once the state religion of the ancient Persian empires (including modern-day Iran and parts of the central Asian republics). Many scholars believe that the Biblical “three wise men from the East” that sought out the infant Jesus Christ were Zoroastrians from Persia.
This years Congress includes wonderful speakers and it is a great opportunity for Houston Chronicle readers to not only learn about the adherents of our ancient religion Zoroastrianism but also learn about how Zoroastrians network and contribute to the larger communities they live in. Keynote speaker Niaz Kasravi has decades of activism and is an insightful and entertaining speaker. Other speakers are academic scholars, young entrepreneurs. The dynamics of intergenerational needs and concerns are a focus of the program. And there is evening entertainment that will trace the cultural heritage. I am attaching 2 flyers which has details of the Featured Speakers and the program.
Attending the Congress may be a rare opportunity for you and your readers/viewers to learn about the Zoroastrians in their midst – their religion and culture, and the significant contributions they have historically made in the diverse host societies among whom they live. We have negotiated specially discounted room rates for conference delegates and the press, of only $89 + tax per night.
I look forward to hearing from you and would be happy to work with you if you choose to interview speakers or alternately to do a feature on our community.
Thank you for your time and coverage of an important event that I am sure will be of interest to your readers.
Thank you
Sincerely,
Ms Mani Surkari
Press Relations/North American Zarathushti Congress
Tel: 832-633-5466
manisurkari@hotmail.com
www.zah.org
Preserve the past, Protect the present, and Perfect the future.
NAZC 2010 – Featured Speakers and Program
NAZC 2010 – Featured Academic Speakers