SSZ Circular
| SSZ Circular
Vol. 2. No. 2. Nov 2025 |
SSZ will periodically circulate and maintain a listing of upcoming events related to Zoroastrianism organized by various Zoroastrian Associations, academic departments and other institutions around the world. If interested, please forward all relevant details (speaker name with her/his brief bio, date, time, Zoom links and other applicable information) to Meheryar N. Rivetna at mrivetna@comcast.net The information and recordings of such events, when available, will be posted on the SSZ website:
www.s-s-z.org. Circulars for past SSZ events showcasing events held are available on the SSZ website.
Upcoming Scholastic Events Related to Zoroastrian Studies
| FEZANA
Religious Education Committee 2025 Khorshed Jungalwala Memorial Lecture
The Transformative Impact of Zoroastrian Women in the 21st Century by Dr. Paulina Niechciał Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025. Time: 12:00 noon EST/11:00 am CST (United States) Zoom log-in information: Zoom ID: 862 7732 6439 Passcode: REC
This lecture focuses on women in Zoroastrianism, who—due to modern social and cultural changes have thrived outside the domestic sphere and assumed increasingly important roles within their communities. Drawing on research conducted with Zoroastrians in the United States, this lecture will highlight how women contribute to the preservation, interpretation, and development of their religious tradition, both within the family and in public life.
Paulina Niechciał is an assistant professor in the Center for Comparative Civilization Studies at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. She holds a master’s degrees in ethnology and in Iranian studies, and a doctorate in Sociology, earned with a dissertation based on field research in Iran, which examined the processes of constructing the collective identity of contemporary Zoroastrians in Tehran. She is the author of “Zoroastrian Women in the United States of America.
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Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago proudly hosts the November 15, 2025 SSZ Conference at the Rustam Guiv Dar-e-Mehr 8615 Meadowbrook Drive Burr Ridge, IL 60527 |
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SOAS University of London Pallonji Shapoorji Memorial Lecture
Oral Literature, Adaptation, and Resistance in the Zoroastrian Community by Prof. Saloumeh Gholami
Date: Monday, November 10, 2025 Time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12 noon CST/10:00 a.m. PST Registration required. Please use the link below (Ctrl+Click to follow link) to register for the webinar:
https://soas-ac-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ClNsV0kWQ_uoFwkbQxk5aA#/registration
In the context of Zoroastrian heritage, oral literature preserved in both Zoroastrian Dari (Behdini) and Persian in Iran and Parsi Gujarati in India—has often been overlooked in comparison with written texts. Oral literature encompasses oral art that is passed down primarily or entirely through speaking and performing. It constitutes a broad field that includes storytelling, myths, epics, songs, prayers, proverbs, riddles, laments, curses, etc. Oral literature differs from written literature because it is transmitted through repetition and improvisation through generations rather than seeking fixity in a single authoritative text. This lecture introduces the project Persisting Through Change: A Study of Oral Literature and Cultural Interaction within the Zoroastrian community.
Professor Saloumeh Gholami is British Academy Global Professor in the field of Zoroastrian Studies at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge. In this role, she leads the major research project “Persisting Through Change: A Study of Oral Literature and Cultural Interaction in the Zoroastrian Community.” She earned her PhD in Iranian Studies from Georg-August-Universität Göttingen in Germany, with a doctoral thesis entitled “Selected Features of Bactrian Grammar.” Over the years, Professor Gholami has gained international recognition for her pioneering work in the documentation, preservation, and revitalization of endangered languages. A central focus of her work lies in the cultural preservation of Zoroastrian community in Iran.
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Academic Symposium Registration Information |
| In-Person Attendance at the Conference
To attend the conference IN PERSON: RSVP is mandatory. Please RSVP by November 1st (specify “All Day”, “Morning Only” or “Afternoon only”) to: Roshni Kharoliwalla (Roshni.Kharoliwalla@zamc.org) Payments will be accepted at the Dar-e-Mehr door. Payment information: “Patra-nu-Bhonu”: $25 per person or $50/family payable to ZAMC. Limited seating, please register soon. Morning Academic Symposium: The morning session will be online on ZOOM. For those participating online only there is no registration fee. For those participating in person at the Dar-e-Mehr, registration is $10 per person, payable to SSZ. No charge for dependent children. Includes breakfast and lunch. Registration for the Academic Symposium: https://tinyurl.com/SSZAcademics Afternoon Community Forum: $5 per person, payable to SSZ. No charge for dependent children. Includes tea. For further information contact Rohinton Rivetna (Rivetna@aol.com) Tel: 630 248 4387. For information on the Morning Academic Symposium, contact Zal Taleyarkhan (zoroastrianscholars@gmail.com) Zoom link for all day attendance at the Symposium Please check the Zoom information below for the morning speaker presentations and afternoon session. |
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Program Conference Chair: Prof. Miguel Ángel Andrés-Toledo Technical Support: Eruch Rustomji and Tushad Driver Morning Session –Session Chair: Prof. Miguel Ángel Andrés-Toledo In–person Session Chair: Afshan Barshan Academic Symposium online on ZOOM and in-person at the Dar-e-Mehr 9:00 Breakfast and Registration 9:30 – 12:30 Academic Symposium, conducted on ZOOM by Prof. Miguel Ángel Andrés-Toledo 9:30 Prof. Michael Shenkar – “Cult of Fire – New Evidence from Sangar-Shah.” 10:00 Prof. Miguel Ángel Andrés-Toledo – “The Poetry of Ahura Mazda’s Creation: Metrical Philosophy in Denkard 3.” 10:30 Prof Wouter Henkelman – “The Achaemenids and Central Asia: Evidence from the Persepolis Fortification Archive.” 11:00 Prof. Garrison – “The Zoroastrian Question in Achaemenid Fars: Insights from the Persepolis Fortification Archive.” 11:30 Dr. Jenny Rose – “Voices from the Zoroastrian World.”
12:30 Dastur Dr. Kersey Antia – Reflection on Morning Session and Prayers 1:00 Lunch. Community Forum, in-person at Dar-e-Mehr Afternoon Session 1 – Session Chair: Jamshed Rivetna 2:00 Registration and Tea 2:15 Mobedyar Boman Damkevala – Benediction Mani Rao–Monajat Jamshed Rivetna (President, ZAMC) — Welcome Kayomarsh Mehta (President, WZO US Region) — Welcome Aban Rustomji (co-chair FEZANA-FIRES) — Welcome Zal Taleyarkhan (President, SSZ) & Rohinton Rivetna – Welcome and SSZ Report 3:00 Prof. Miguel Ángel Andrés-Toledo – Report on FEZANA Professor of Languages and Literature, University of Toronto and An Introduction to Zoroastrian Languages.
Afternoon Session 2 – Session Chair: Jim Engineer 3:45 Khursheed Ichaporia and ZAMC Junior Scholars – Activity Break 4:15 Meheryar Rivetna, Vispi Karkaria, Zenobia Damania, Shara Godiwalla and Persis Driver “Quiz: Sharpen Your Knowledge of Zoroastrian History and scriptures.” 5:15 Persis Driver and ZAMC Youth: Aliza Dubash, Jayden Ullal and Anahita Driver – “Ancient Wisdom for a Living Religion.” Cocktails and Dinner – Emcee: Binaisha Patel 6:00 Registration, Cocktails and Junior Mocktails Khusheed Ichaporia – “Learning Through Tradition.” Mani Rao – Entertainment – Traditional Songs Traditional Community Thanksgiving Dinner – “Patra nu Bhonu” served by ZAMC Youth ‘Celebrity Servers.’
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