After a three-year pandemic-induced hiatus, the 7^th Edition of ‘Return To Roots’ is slated to take place this year-end, India. Tentatively scheduled from 22^nd December, 2023 to 4^th January, 2024, this trip will bring over 20 Zoroastrian youth, between 22 to 35 years of age, on a two-week trip to India.

Established in 2012, Return to Roots is a youth-initiated program, designed to strengthen community identity amongst Zoroastrian youth around the world. The program is held over two weeks in India. The idea of a Zoroastrian Return to Roots Program was born out of the increasing disconnect between those Zoroastrians in the diaspora with their ancestral communities in Iran and India. It is a unique means of fostering community links and identity by taking small groups of youth on trips to explore their religious, social and cultural heritage.

Eligibility: All applicants need to fulfil all of the following non-negotiable conditions:

1. Applicant must be between 22 and 35 years of age, as of Dec 15, 2022.
2. Applicant must be a practising Zarathushti
3. At least one parent of the applicant must be a Zarathushti
4. All applicants have had their Navjote/Sudreh Pushi ceremony performed

Application: All prospective applicants need to fill out a detailed application form. Applications are considered on a rolling basis, and once slots are filled out, others will be put on a waiting list.

The past six trips have been transformational for all the RTR Fellows who have completed them. For details, log on to: https://zororoots.org/category/reports

A short video on YouTube titled: ‘Zoroastrian Return to Roots – Birth Right Trip for Parsi and Irani Youth’, by RTR Fellow and Board Member Tanya Hoshi of Toronto, Canada, captures the essence. For further queries: https://zororoots.org/contact/