The Zoroastrian World – October 2026
The Zoroastrian World is a monthly newsletter that shares key news, events, opportunities and publications from across the study of Zoroastrianism.
From the Institute :
Dr Mariano Errichiello, the Institute’s Co-Chair and Executive Director, has been appointed as a Visiting Fellowship at Princeton University’s Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies on 1 September 2026, continuing through December.
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Final Reminder
On 20 November at 7 pm, the Institute will host the annual Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry Memorial lecture at SOAS. Please join us in room DLT, where we will hear from Dr Sarah Stewart, on the topic of “The Advent of Christianity and its Impact on the Legacy of Zoroastrianism in Georgia“. A reception will follow and registration is essential, which you can do here.
Co-Chair of the Institute, Professor Almut Hintze, will host a book launch for her latest publication, The Pahlavi Codex MK, co-authored with Dastur Dr Kaikhusroo M. JamaspAsa. You can find more information about the volume here. Please save the date of the evening of Thursday 28 January, 2027 for the launch. Details will be confirmed in due time.
Future Zoroastrians 2027
Leadership Programme for Emerging Priests
Designed for Zoroastrian priests across global communities, this programme supports the next generation of leaders who are committed to thoughtful and effective leadership. Through a blend of scholarly learning, practical skills development and personalised coaching, participants will explore contemporary community challenges and build the confidence and competencies needed for meaningful leadership.
The programme includes a one-week intensive residential course at SOAS in London, taking place 26–30 April 2027. All selected participants will have travel and accommodation fully funded, thanks to the generous support of Dr Zar Amrolia, whose commitment to nurturing future generations of Zoroastrian leaders we gratefully acknowledge.
Applicants will be assessed on their potential for leadership and positive community impact.
Apply
Deadline for Submission: 15 November
Programme: 26-30 April 2027
Venue: SOAS University of London
For any inquiry, please write to sspizs@soas.ac.uk.
As we get ready to welcome the next Artist-in-Residence, we announce that the recording of the Artist Talk with Karl Singporewala is now available on our YouTube playlist.
| From 2- 5 pm on Saturday, 14 November, a lecture jointly hosted by WZO and ZTFE will take place at the World Zoroastrian House. The title of this lecture is “What do recently found Pahlavi documents tell us about the end of the Zoroastrian and beginning of the Islamic period in Iran?” This two-part presentation provides an overview of the Pahlavi documents housed in a number of libraries around the world. Dr Arash Zeini (Oxford) will present with Dr Nima Asefi (Hamburg). To register, please contact Anahita Madon anahita.madon@w-z-o.org or Roshan Avari at secretary@ztfe.com by 13 November. |
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| The Society of Scholars of Zoroastrianism are holding a online conference on 14 November. See further information and tickets here. |
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| Join Professor John Hyland on 27 January 2027 for Persia’s Greek Campaigns: Approaches to Historical Reconstruction and Political Myth, a lecture exploring new perspectives on the Achaemenid Empire’s conflicts with ancient Greece and challenging traditional narratives of Persian defeat. Drawing on his recent book, Hyland will examine how historical evidence offers a more nuanced understanding of these campaigns and their lasting influence on modern political and cultural identities. More info here. |
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| Hosted by the Zoroastrian Association of Houston on 9–10 October 2026, The Flavors of Faith, Food, & Community: FIRES’ 26th Annual Speaker Series featured presentations by celebrated chefs and academics, including the Institute’s Executive Director and Co-Chair, Dr Mariano Errichiello. Read more on Parsi Khabar.
In this episode of History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps, host Peter Adamson speaks with scholar Ted Good about Zoroastrian philosophy and its place in the wider history of philosophical thought. Their conversation explores key philosophical themes within Zoroastrianism, including cosmology, the nature of evil and suffering, and the relationship between matter and the soul. More info here. |
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The Association for Iranian Studies is beginning a search for its next Executive Director. The Executive Director oversees the Association’s day-to-day administration and supports its membership, leadership, conferences, communications, and programs. Applications are due November 5, 2026. For further information please write to: admin@associationforiranianstudies.org. |
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The Sasanians in Context: Art, History, and Archaeology
Edited by Antonietta Catanzariti & Touraj DaryaeeFeaturing the chapter “A flaming bust on a new clay bulla from Takht-e Solayman: an epigraphic and iconographic analysis” by our own Yousef Moradi and Almut Hintze, this volume follows the symposium “The Sasanians in Context: Art, History, and Archaeology,” held at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Asian Art in 2022. Read more here. |
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The Zoroastrians in British Columbia
by Rastin MehriThis book considers the formation of the Zoroastrian Society of British Columbia in 1968 within the context of provincial and national immigration policies. It explores which members of this community defined themselves ethnically and spiritually before settling in the province, and how they have done so since. Read more here. |
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| If you would like to give a gift to the Institute via the Centres and Institutes – regular gift | SOAS service, we would be grateful for your donation. Patrons can now donate regularly or as a one-off payment. These funds will ensure the continued running of the Institute and an expansion of our activities. We remain incredibly grateful for the support of all our stakeholders, donors and community members.
The SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies was launched in June 2018 thanks to the generous donation from a Parsi benefactor, Mr Shapoor Pallonji Mistry, in the name of his father, Mr Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry.
The Institute’s Annual Report for the academic year 2024-25 is available to view on our website. It covers all of the activities fof the Institute, including events, research and teaching. Find out more.
Visit our website to find out more about the Institute. |
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