The Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA — On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia delivered an address at UCLA on "Saving Our Planet: A Top Global Priority." The event was coordinated by The Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA and the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and hosted at the UCLA Fowler Museum.

His Holiness was joined by Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the United States, and other members of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The program was opened by Professor Ann Karagozian, director of the Promise Armenian Institute, followed by welcoming remarks from Vice Provost Cindy Fan, and introductions by His Eminence Archbishop Khatcherian. Both Provost Fan and Professor Karagozian remarked that this was His Holiness' second visit to UCLA; the first was coordinated by the late Professor Richard Hovannisan in 2011.

Catholicos' talk focused on global warming, which he classified as an existential problem affecting all aspects of human life. Looking at the planet Earth as the only home for humanity, the Catholicos approached climate change as fundamentally an ethical issue, an anthropocentric problem, deriving from humanity's "uncontrollable and uncritical exploitation of the planet."

He argued that as stewards of the creation, humans are responsible for guarding, protecting, and developing it and have been given, by the Creator, the right to use the resources of the creation for their own survival; however, he stressed that "a clear distinction must be made between need and greed."

His Holiness highlighted four strategies for addressing or reducing the intensity of climate change:

• A growing shift from quantitative production to qualitative development.
• A growing shift from aggressive consumerism to a pattern of responsible living.
• A growing shift from population explosion to family planning.
• A growing shift from energy-consuming projects to energy-saving programs.

His Holiness also acknowledged that global warming has been politicized by powerful governments concerned more about the economy instead of the environment and the future of humanity, as well as transnational corporations that prioritize productivity and profit over sustainability and the planet.

Concluding his remarks, the Catholicos emphasized that the future of the planet calls urgently for "[First] awareness building towards [our] God-given role of stewardship. Second, for building responsible communities which are committed to changing their lifestyle. Three, for governments, transnational organizations and institutions to consider with utmost seriousness the crucial urgency of [the] ecological crisis. Unfortunately, this is not the case today. Indeed, global warming should become a global warning… for each of us. All of us have a role to play to save the planet."

Following his remarks, His Holiness answered questions posed by UCLA students and members of the community. The event concluded with a public reception during which members of the audience had the opportunity to further interact with His Holiness.

The event was attended by Dr. Eric Esrailian, benefactor of the UCLA Promise Armenian Institute and chief of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Paul Krekorian, former member of the California State Assembly and former president of LA City Council, members of the late Professor Richard Hovannisan's family, as well as other distinguished guests, UCLA faculty, students, staff and community members.

The full recording of His Holiness's address can be viewed at the UCLA Promise Armenian Institute's YouTube Channel and website.

For more information, please contact The UCLA Promise Armenian Institute at armenian-info@international.ucla.edu or visit The Institute's website www.international.ucla.edu/armenia.