Symbols of all Religions

His Holiness Pope John Paul II In Madras 1986 with Z.C President at Lamp Lighting Ceremony 

INTER FAITH PEACE STUDIES DEPARTMENT: -More Information

            This department is open to all persons throughout the world who are interested in PEACE STUDIES especially PEACE AMONGST PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS AND CULTURES. The main emphasis is on understanding LIVING FAITHS to bring about PEACE & HARMONY through better UNDERSTANDING & LOVE between the people of different religious and cultural backgrounds.

            Through this department the College organises INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL CONFERENCES to promote PEACE THROUGH INTERFAITH DIALOGUE. Conferences organised by other associations are also attended by the College Representatives. Since 1975 conferences held in Israel, Canada, USA, Belgium, Italy, Taiwan, Kazakstan, Iran and other countries as well as within India have had very good results in promoting Peace. In 1993 Zoroastrian College had co-organised World Religions Peace Conferences in India and participated in Conferences abroad, in conjunction with the World Parliament of Religions, International Association of Educators for World Peace; World Federation of  Inter-Religious Councils and other Organisations.

        The turn of the Millennium witnessed a remarkable step forward in the United Nations. For the first time in the history of the U.N. the Religious Heads were invited for the PEACE SUMMIT from all countries of the world. From India the largest delegation of 108 Sadhujis and Swamijis had attended with Representatives of other faiths.           

In August 2000, the Zoroastrian College President, DAME DR. PROF.MEHER MASTER-MOOS was honoured to be invited to the United Nations SUMMIT FOR PEACE. Heads of Religious were invited to attend from all countries, this SUMMIT CONFERENCE FOR PEACE. She was the only Zoroastrian representative in the official delegation from India to the U.N. to be invited as a speaker .She was also a speaker at the Statten Island function in honour of the Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee

 Prof. Dr. Sir PESHOTAN MEHTA is the Z.C. representative for the U.N., N.G.O ' s.

In October 2002 she was the only Zoroastrian lady speaker and representative in the U.N. WOMEN HEADS OF RELIGIONS CONFERENCE, in Geneva.

In July 2004, she was an invited panel speaker at the PARLIAMENT OF WORLD RELIGIONS in Barcelona through the Temple of Understanding and also attended the Assembly in Monserrat along with Zoroastrian College youth leader Mr. Minoo Jokhi.

Representatives of different religions at Interfaith Assembly at Monserrat.

Through this department Zoroastrian College is well connected with other Interfaith Peace Organisations. Z.C President is a Member of the Global Council of the UNITED RELIGIONS INITATIVE, through which she attended the Global Assembly for peace in Brazil in August 2002. She is also the Vice-President of the WORLD FELLOWSHIP OF INTER RELIGIOUS COUNCILS, in Cochin, Kerala through which Interfaith Peace Dialogue Conferences are regularly held. She is the Zoroastrian Representative on the Indian Council of Religious Leaders.

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INTERFAITH PEACE WORK - OTHER COUNTRIES      .

          Zoroastrian College also collaborates with many Inter Faith Organisations within India and Foreign Countries.

          PERSONS IN ANY COUNTRY CAN DO ORIGINAL RESEARCH AND SUBMIT THEIR WORK FOR DOCTORAL DEGREES THROUGH THE ZOROASTRIAN COLLEGE THROUGH THIS DEPT. In 1990, DR. AHMED ABDULLA OF JORDAN submitted his research on Peace in the Middle East. This research thesis so impressed the Jordanian Govt. that the suggestions he had made formed the basis of the Palestinian Peace talks, which eventually led to a settlement of the problem.

          In 1990, 1992 and 1993 Zoroastrian College participated in the major world Religions Conferences organised by the ST. EGIDIO COMMUNITY in Italy/Europe with support from the Vatican; which eventually led to the Peace proposal of establishing  Headquarters for all the three major religions, Jewish, Christian and Islam in Jerusalem. 

                        THE UNITED RELGIONS INITIATIVE, is a grass roots organisation working through CO-OPERATION CIRCLES in many countries. Through this department of Zoroastrian College many CCs have been formed and conferences attended. 

                        The WORLD FELLOWSHIP OF INTER RELIGIOUS COUNCILS based in Kerala closely works with this department of Z.C.   

                      With its secular Constitution and twelve major religious communities, India provides a model country for Inter Faith Peace. Many persons from other countries having predominantly only one religion find it a great experience to visit India through the Zoroastrian College Inter Faith Peace Studies Dept. and discover how it is possible for people of different religions, languages and cultures to LIVE TOGETHER and work together PEACEFULLY in the same residential buildings and offices/factories. This educational process is unique; and is a facility only provided by the Zoroastrian College in India.

In the year 1989 the one and only Zoroastrian College in the World accomplished a PIECE OF PRIVATE DIPLOMACY in the interests of education internationally. MADAME BENAZIR BHUTTO was the first Muslim woman to achieve being elected Prime Minister of Pakistan. To felicitate her for this achievement, Zoroastrian College was the first to confer an Honorary Doctorate Degree on her. At that time in Pakistan, the Muslim majority community school children gave an exam paper in Islamic religion. The other minority communities – Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Zoroastrians – children had to give an exam paper in Economics-Civics; and marks were usually less for this paper which brought down the general average marks for the non-Muslim children and made it more difficult to gain college admission on merit. At a public function held at the glittering Avari Towers Hotel in Karachi for conferring the Doctorate Degree Award, PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO publicly stated that the EIGHTH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN would be carried out in Parliament to ensure EDUCATIONAL EQUALITY for all school children, to enable the CHILDREN OF THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES to give their exam papers in their own respectivereligion, to be examined by persons of that religion, so that higher marks and equality would be ensured. .   

          The work of this Department has been greatly facilitated by the support of Prof. Dr. Francis Dessart, Sec. Gen. Of the International Association of Educators for World Peace, in Namur Belgium; who was the Zoroastrian College International Advisory Board member.