Fun Club Collaboration with Zoroastrian Stories of Migration Project – Intergenerational Workshop13/5/2026 On Sunday 11 January 2026, the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) Fun Club Team in collaboration with the Zoroastrian Stories of Migration project (within the wider Stories of Harrow programme) brought together 75 children aged from 4 months to 14 years old, parents and older members of the community to deliver a new fun and interactive session telling the Zoroastrian migration story to the UK. We were delighted to have two very special guest storytellers join the workshop, Nawaz Vatcha and Ratan Vatcha. To begin, the participants all visited our Setayesh Gah with beautiful prayers led by Mobedyar Nawaz and divas/sham were lit to mark how our ancestors carried the flame of our faith from one land to another. Workshop Highlights: Following an ice breaker warm up activity, the children learnt about how and why Zoroastrians travelled to the UK, the challenges and opportunities faced in a new country, and the importance of how faith, prayers and community helped Zoroastrians stay strong and feel proud of our identity and heritage. The children then interviewed our special guests, Nawaz Aunty and Ratan Uncle, selecting colour coded questions from our Heritage Pot (a Tapelu/Ghablameh!) based on the themes of early life, childhood & schooling, reason for migration and life in the UK. It was beautiful to see the children interact and engage with Nawaz Aunty and Ratan Uncle’s story which was indeed a gift for them as the next generation. We also set up a special Heritage table adorned with personal objects including family photos, traditional Parsi clothing (Gara sarees & Feto hat), a Ses (silver devotional tray), a Kenyan shilling and a treasured 100 year old Khordeh Avesta (prayer book) which captivated the children and parents’ imagination and resulted in a lot of interesting questions! It was then time for some activities for both the children and parents! The younger children enjoyed colouring in a ‘Flame of Faith’ whilst the older children were given a ‘Suitcase of faith’ template and asked to draw and list what items they would take with them if moving to another country. A lively debrief then followed. The children noted down keepsakes that would keep them connected to our Zoroastrian faith including their ‘Sudreh & Kusti’, ‘Zarathustra’s photo’ and a copy of the ‘Khordeh Avesta’. The parents were also tasked with noting an item they would take with them too if migrating – we had some interesting answers from ‘My Mum’s recipes’, ‘Masalas’ and even a ‘Motorcycle’! Participant Feedback: Participant feedback from the session was extremely positive, with attendees praising the workshop as: “Enriching, valuable and enjoyable” “Interesting and eye opening – I now understand where I come from!” “A beautiful experience where Zoroastrians of all ages bonded on our shared history” “I have learnt so much from the stories of those who migrated and feel inspired” All children were also all excited to receive an interview question sheet to take home, so that they could have conversations with their parents and grandparents about their own family journey. Project Impact: The workshop successfully met and exceeded its aims by:
Please enjoy this short video we have put together which highlights some special moments from the event! We look forward to sharing more updates! Shiraz Sethna, Ruby Sethna and Shazneen Munshi (Project Team)
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