Tribute Paid To Cyrus The Great’s Human Rights Legacy

On 3^rd February, 2025, the Zoroastrian Association of California (ZAC) welcomed U.S. Congressman Lou Correa of California’s 46th District to its Community Center in Orange, California. The visit was a momentous occasion for the Zoroastrian community. Congressman Correa was greeted by ZAC President Rooky Fitter, Captains Khusroo Fitter and Zeus Cursetji, FEZANA VP Xerxes Commissariat, and other distinguished community members, including Head Priest, Er. Zarrir Bhandara.

As a token of appreciation, ZAC presented two significant gifts. The first was a statuette of Cyrus the Great, honoring his role in establishing the first charter of human rights. The second was a custom-designed plaque framed in wood and metal flames, featuring a miniature Cyrus Cylinder and an inscription: “From the Zoroastrian Community, 2025.” This plaque, the first of seven, will be presented to key federal and state officials.

The inscription highlighted Cyrus the Great’s historic 539 BCE decree, granting freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, cultural rights, and equality—values that remain foundational to modern democracies. His influence extends to biblical references (Isaiah 45:1-4) and Xenophon’s Cyropaedia (370 BCE), which shaped democratic leadership ideals, including those that inspired the U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This indelible Zoroastrian legacy is etched in eternity.

The plaque’s inscription was crafted by ZAC member Sam Billimoria, while the statuette and plaque were professionally designed and generously donated by a prestigious award manufacturer. ZAC’s tribute underscores the enduring legacy of Cyrus the Great and the Zoroastrian community’s contributions to human rights and democracy.