By Razvin Namdarian

The Global Council of Zoroastrian Trusts (GCZT) held its third Annual Meeting alongside the 17^th Annual General Meeting of the Global Working Group (GWG), in Mumbai, on 6^th January, 2026. Hosted by the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP), the meeting brought together trustees, religious leaders and community representatives from India and across the global Zoroastrian diaspora to deliberate on governance, philanthropy, demographics, priesthood and youth engagement.

The meeting opened with an invocation by Vada Dasturji Khurshed Kekobad Dastur, followed by welcome remarks from Meher Bhesania, who emphasised unity, ethical responsibility and long-term sustainability as guiding principles for the deliberations.

Neville Shroff, Chairman of GCZT, outlined the organisation’s evolving role as a facilitator of collaboration rather than a centralised authority. He stressed that GCZT aims to connect Zoroastrian institutions across geographies, promote best practices and provide intellectual and strategic support. Shroff identified five core pillars guiding GCZT’s work: financial stability, community engagement, youth leadership, innovation and integrity. He underscored the urgent need to monetise underutilised trust assets, reduce duplication of welfare initiatives and foster stronger cooperation among trusts globally.

Er. Burjor Antia described the past year as one of consolidation and confidence-building. He highlighted the paradox of the community being “asset-rich but cash-poor” and called for professional management of trust properties, particularly those belonging to defunct or declining anjumans. Without strategic planning, he warned, welfare obligations could soon outstrip available resources.

GCZT Secretary Yazdi Tantra presented key administrative developments, including the induction of Ketayoon Kapadia as Joint Secretary and the formation of action-oriented working groups. He introduced the Z Funds Portal, a centralised digital platform designed to bring transparency, accountability and efficiency to charitable appeals and fund disbursement. The portal aims to prevent misuse, eliminate duplication and ensure proper reporting and audit mechanisms.

Treasurer Sam Balsara reported GCZT’s current corpus standing at approximately ₹1.45 crore, which needed to grow to ₹5 crore to support impactful initiatives. He proposed monetisation of non-essential trust properties. Supporting this approach, Noshir Dadrewala suggested beginning with non-religious properties held by trusts without active local communities. Legal assistance for this exercise was offered by Er. Burjor Antia.

Drawing attention to demographic decline in parts of the diaspora, Rusi Dalal cited shrinking Zoroastrian populations in East Africa, including Zanzibar and Uganda, warning that several institutions risk extinction without timely intervention and consolidation of resources.

Delivering the keynote address, Justice S.J. Kathawalla, former Judge of the Bombay High Court, reflected on the Parsi community’s deep-rooted ethic of giving. He described charity as an instinctive moral responsibility rather than an act of self-promotion and urged trustees to act with transparency, humility and ethical rigour. Justice Kathawalla cautioned against factionalism, unregulated appeals and overlapping initiatives, particularly in areas such as mental health, education and medical relief, advocating greater collaboration and consolidation.

Burgis Godrej highlighted how Zoroastrian values naturally align with philanthropy and social impact, emphasising ethical wealth creation, environmental care and fair labour. He noted that youth worldwide seek strong communities, value-based identity and meaningful engagement through dialogue, volunteering and mentorship beyond ritual.

Rohinton Rivetna offered a North American perspective on the urgent need for unity, invoking Zoroastrian symbols of Hamazor and barsom as expressions of collective strength. He cited FEZANA’s success for uniting 27 associations and encouraged similar federations in India, Australia and other regions.

BPP Chairman Viraf Mehta outlined major initiatives, including India’s first health insurance scheme for Parsi and Irani Zoroastrians covering over 4,000 beneficiaries, the opening of the Bai Avabai Petit Alpaiwalla Museum with the support of Phiroza Godrej and Pheroza Mistry, the creation of Kathi and Mental Health Funds and welfare efforts for housing, medical assistance and family support.

FEZANA representative Kayomarz Sidhwa reported strong youth participation, with 42% of Congress delegates under 40, alongside awarding scholarships, endowments, museum plans, Atash Behram projects. Its growing presence at the United Nations was highlighted by Behram Pastakia.

Dorab Mistry, representing the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE), announced that ZTFE had become the community’s formal interlocutor with the Vatican, with several high-level audiences granted by the Pope. He outlined plans to mark Dadabhai Naoroji’s 200^th birth anniversary, support doctoral scholarships at SOAS (London University), backed by benefactors including Zar Amrolia, and collaborations with the Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies.

From Australia, Farida Irani and Firoz Pestonji traced the community’s growth since the 1960s, highlighting the Sydney Dar-e-Meher as a cultural and religious hub and efforts toward establishing an Oceania federation. Khodaiar Ataei highlighted heritage preservation for Iranian Zoroastrians, urging support to develop the Marker School and Orphanage into a university and calling for a coordinated migration framework, with backing from Vada Dasturji Khurshed Kekobad Dastur. Meher Bhesania outlined UAE-GCC initiatives promoting connection and empowerment through festivals, contests and cultural programmes. Reporting on the United Arab Emirates and Gulf Cooperation Council region, Meher Bhesania highlighted initiatives fostering connection and empowerment through Navroz events, Ghambars, film screening and Writers’ Contest.

Captain Percy Master, Global President of the World Zoroastrian Chamber of Commerce (WZCC), reported youth-centric economic initiatives, internships with 50 companies, start-up funding, women’s empowerment programmes and scholarships for Iranian Zoroastrian students.

Surat’s Dr. Homi Doodhwala and Dr. Persis Doodhwala detailed the extensive welfare work of the Surat Parsi Panchayat, while Brigadier Jehangir Anklesaria cautioned that unchecked charity could undermine initiative, advocating a balance between support and self-reliance.

Preparations were outlined for the World Zoroastrian Congress in Singapore (28–30 December 2026) and the Mumbai Congress in December 2027, with Delzin Irani emphasising entrepreneurship over dependency on charity. Roshan Rivetna cited the FEZANA study Demographics Determine Destiny, highlighting low fertility, high mortality and changing identity patterns. Farrokh Mistree called for translating dialogue into action for youth entrepreneurship.

On 7^th January, at the Dadar Athornan Institute (DAI), the GCZT core-team deliberated on crucial community issues including, revitalisation of Mobeds, demographics, medical insurance, primary care and poverty. Stressing on the think-tank role of the GCZT, Noshir Dadrawalla felt that they should offer intellectual support with the right connectivity.

Community stalwart, Rati Godrej, suggested setting up outreach programs for the community to build trust and focus on early detection and screening as well as provide support for mental health issues. Concerning declining demographics, Arzan Wadia – heading ZAGNY and Program Director of the Zoroastrian Return To Roots Program, felt that it was imperative that they create more opportunities for youngsters to meet regionally and globally. An urgent need was expressed to restore dignity and desirability for priesthood vocation, calling for stronger support systems.

Overall, the GCZT meeting underscored the need for community unity, ethical leadership, youth empowerment and wise stewardship as urgent priorities. Through stronger global collaboration and renewed commitment to core values, GCZT seeks to continue transforming scattered efforts into collective strength, safeguarding relevance, continuity and resilience for generations ahead.