Following the consecration of the Armenian Church in Abu Dhabi, Catholicos Aram I met with around 75 young Armenian men and women, who shared their concerns and questions regarding the Church. The Catholicos posed the question of what it means to be a young Armenian in the diaspora today. He asked them to consider a number of attendant questions: “How can the youth keep their Armenian identity in pluralist societies?” “What is the role of Armenia and the Armenian church and culture in safeguarding the identity of our youth” He said, “It is important for the Church to listen to the voices of the youth as they discuss the post-100^th anniversary Genocide priorities.”

After the meeting with the youth, His Holiness met with members of the Church Council of Qatar and Abu Dhabi, together with the Catholical Vicar and the President of the Council, Mr Hrayr Soghomonian. The representatives informed the Catholicos of their activities and future plans. They discussed the situation of the Armenian community in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, after which the Catholicos recommended that a church and community centre be built in Qatar and community centres be constructed in Sharja and Dubai.