Head of Zoroastrian temple says people are returning to their roots

There has been a recent surge in conversions to Zoroastrianism among Kurds at home and abroad.

Andaz Hawezi, chief of the Zoroastrian Temple in Sweden says thousands have joined the faith.

In 2011 he was elected to lead the temple. Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions to which most Kurds trace their ancestral faith.

Hawezi says not all the new converts or followers are Kurds. There are Arabs, Turks, Persian, Swedish, Polish, British and other nationalities.

“We hope to come back to Kurdistan. That’s why we named the Temple Kurdish Zoroastrian.” Hawezi says.

The Temple in Sweden is now working to gain permission from the Kurdish government to open its temple in the Kurdistan Region.

At the moment its members meet in Sulaimani city.

“As a religion we must be everywhere. If we get permission to work here we would do our works in every part of the Kurdistan Region.” Hawezi told Rudaw in an interview.