An informal chat with Allahyar Dabestani
About his sponsoring the participation of a few Iranian Zoroastrians in the WZC, and
About unity between Parsees and Iranian Zoroastrians

Amordad correspondent, Ashkan Khosrowpour:  A short while left to the start of the Christian New Year, Allahyar Dabestani and me sat down to have a short chat.  We both feared lest we would not find another chance to talk.  We talked about the Congress and its drawbacks.  We tried to judge things justly.  I asked Allahyar Dabestani for the reason he personally sponsored a few Iranian participants to the Congress.  He said:  “My intention was to defend Iranian music against western invasion and make it known.  I wanted to show those who are most accustomed with western music, the beauties of their motherland.  That was why I was looking for a musical group.  One person suggested the Fravahar group and I agreed.  I sponsored this group so that the Iranian music is demonstrated.  I also sponsored two translators to accompany the group so that they all benefit from the proceeds of the Congress.
Here, Dabestani referred to the subject of the participation of one neutral news reporter from Iran, in the Congress, and said:  “In my opinion Amordad is a neutral publication and able to give news coverage to the Congress, and so I sponsored one Amordad correspondent also.”
A few minutes were left for transition to the New Year.  The loud western music and a strange light emission caught my eyes and ears.  I asked Dabestani:  “In spite of your efforts, our musical group did not perform any program, why?”
He replied:  “The truth is that it was mostly our fault for deciding late.  Such delays cause problems in such congresses.  The same had happened regarding the simultaneous interpreters for the Congress.”
I wanted to know whether it was true that Parsees think themselves different from us, whether they consider themselves better people, and whether it is true that the Parsees do not like us.  I wanted to ask about the Parsees’ characters, their culture, vision and thoughts.  I asked:  “Is it true that the Parsees do not mix with us?”  He started laughing and said:  “No, who says so?  You will not find anyone kinder than a Parsee.  He can be Lord Bilimoria or Behram Pastakia, the UN representative.  They have constantly mixed with us.  I don’t think you can find anyone more sincere than a Parsee.”
I remembered my own observation in this Congress and how easily I had made friends with many.  One of the Parsee youth, traveling in a bus with me, was insisting that he should learn Persian language.  He said he liked Tehran very much and asked whether I like Mumbai.  I remembered how easily I had been able to communicate with everybody in the Congress.
One of the hotel people touched my shoulder and said:  “Happy New Year.”  I stood up and shook hands with him and greeted him happy New Year.  I took a quick look at the hall.  It was so crowed.  Allahyar Dabestani told me to join them and left.  I went in and did not see him any more.

Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour