World Zoroastrian Organization

WZO was formed in 1980 to respond to the urgent need for assisting displaced Iranian Zoroastrians fleeing to the West. This task was taken up vigorously and played a defining role in the rescue and resettlement of many hundreds of Zoroastrians into the UK and the West. Soon afterwards, the then International Board had the foresight to recognise the plight of the needy and vulnerable Zoroastrians in India. Mehraban and Goli Farhangi, through the World Zarathushtrian Trust Fund, provided a very generous endowment to WZO to carry out its charitable activities.

WZO implemented a series of fund raising activities and in 1989 initiated the Bhaya report which assessed the needs of the poor Zoroastrians in Gujarat. As a consequence, the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust was formed in India to manage the charitable activities there. In 1993 the WZO Trust for Women and Children was formed. In 1995 the WZO Trust Funds was set up and today it administers the two Senior Citizen Centres and the low cost housing programme in Navsari, the Sanjan Sanatorium, and the self employment schemes in India.

From humble beginnings our team of dedicated volunteers have helped to make what WZO is today. Over these 30 years, we have acted on behalf of Zoroastrian refugees, attending hearings and lobbying MPs in the UK and in Europe. Our charitable activities are no longer restricted to India. We provide financial assistance for medical, educational (both for Sciences and Arts), and socio-economic reasons to any needy Zoroastrians who meet the criteria. The late Noshirwan Cowasjee set up the Medical Benevolent Fund and single-handedly raised in excess of £300K to help Zoroastrians coming to the UK for medical treatments. In 2006 the Aloo Vatcha Educational Fund was set up from the legacy left by the late Aloo Vatcha in her will. In Iran WZO provides financial assistance to Zoroastrians through the Pourchista Foundation in Yazd. The Foundation runs a daytime Senior Citizen Centre for Zoroastrian elders and a Skills Academy for vocational training. Whenever the need has arisen, WZO has collected and disbursed significant sums of aid to deserving non-Zoroastrians in South Asia.

WZO disseminates information on its charitable projects and on oroastrian affairs through its magazine HAMAZOR. It started as a small newsletter typed in the UK and distributed to all its members; since then it has gone through many changes and editors. Today, under the able editorship of our Vice-President, Toxy Cowasjee, it has gone through a major transformation and is renowned for its unbiased content and presentation.

WZO has always placed the interests of the whole Zoroastrian community uppermost and is committed to the welfare of all Zoroastrian communities. It is also committed to the advancement of the Zoroastrian faith, while maintaining a policy of inclusiveness which respects the diverse traditions and practises of Zoroastrians worldwide. In 1992, WZO recognised the important role of the non-Zoroastrian spouse within a Zoroastrian family and amended its membership rules to welcome them as full members. This year, WZO created a ‘Friends of WZO’ membership grade for those people who do not qualify for full membership, but are interested in WZO and the Zoroastrian faith. In the UK, we invite international speakers at our annual seminars on Zoroastrian religion, history and culture and these are open to all. WZO also sponsors seminars in other parts of the world in conjunction with the local Zoroastrian associations.

WZO is truly an International organisation with membership spread across 24 countries with its International Board of 33 members operating from 10 regions. Currently we enjoy charitable status in the UK, India, USA and New Zealand. We are working with our representatives in other countries to register as a local charity

In 2010, WZO celebrated its 30th Anniversary at very special event at the Hilton, London Paddington on 5 June. The occasion was marked by WZO publicly honouring some its committee members and supporters in front of the invited guests. The Guest of Honour was the former Attorney General, Padma Vibhushan Soli Sorabjee and His Excellency, the High Commissioner of India, Mr Nalim Surie was represented by the First Minister of Consular and Community Affairs, Mr Jitendra Kumar.