An Extraordinary Eve: Scientology Celebrates a Year of Monumental Advancement--Ringing in an Expansive 2026 and Beyond

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands gather in Los Angeles for a Scientology New Year's Celebration, honoring a year of remarkable achievement and ushering in an unstoppable 2026.

"Auld Lang Syne" has echoed through New Year's festivities for over a century, symbolizing the bridge between where we've been and where we're going. But on this night inside the Shrine Auditorium, that timeless sentiment took on a whole new dimension.

From the outset, the evening embodied the hallmarks of a Scientology New Year's Celebration—elegance, anticipation and a sense of purpose. Dressed in formal evening wear, more than 6,500 guests filled the historic hall to honor the momentous feats of 2025, their gaze cast upon a boundless horizon unfolding before them.

"For most of the world, New Year's is something they wait for. They count down seconds, watching the clock, as if time is the one telling them when life begins again," said Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion. "But we've never lived time that way. So while the rest of the planet may still be winding down its clocks—we're here for something else entirely: to see what happens when a full year of Scientology accomplishments is unleashed all at once."

And with that, Mr. Miscavige set the stage for a night showcasing a series of highlights from a year of endless expansion. Among those achievements, the numbers tuning in to Scientology Network continue to grow, drawing 11 times the viewership since network launch, while earning more than 170 awards for creative and technical excellence. And those viewers become doers, as over a million students have now enrolled in online courses—another record-breaking milestone.

The year was further defined by a panorama of Grand Openings illuminating the globe. Beginning with the ribbon-cutting for the newest Ideal Org half a world away in South Africa's Eastern Cape—a landmark 10-story masterpiece now rising into the Nelson Mandela Bay skyline.

The wave of expansion rolled on as L. Ron Hubbard's enduring legacy came vividly to life this past summer with the Grand Opening of three new L. Ron Hubbard (LRH) Landmark Sites—each meticulously restored to its original grandeur in honor of his milestone breakthroughs:

• In Elizabeth, New Jersey, dedicating the site of the first Dianetics Foundation, where Mr. Hubbard trained the first Dianetic Auditors 75 years ago.
• In Phoenix, Arizona, inaugurating the location where he unified the subjects of Dianetics and Scientology, forever shaping the course of the religion.
• And in Harare, Zimbabwe, unveiling the site where he filmed the legendary Clearing Course lectures and delivered his only filmed interview, An Introduction to Scientology.

From expansion to empowerment, the night next ascended to a succession of living triumphs—each one illustrating the impact of LRH Technology in action, transforming communities and inspiring lasting change.

Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), addressing society's most urgent challenges—drug abuse, illiteracy, immorality and crime—through its wide-reaching programs:

• In Sonora, Mexico, where widespread addiction has reached alarming levels, a government-sponsored Narconon for men proves so effective that civic leaders open a dedicated wing for women. Altogether, the facility has provided more than 100,000 rehabilitation hours, restoring a life every six days. In the wake of that success, regional officials partner with Narconon to establish a youth facility for teens in crisis, extending rehabilitation to the next generation. As a result, Narconon Navojoa is now the model for government-funded Narconons across Mexico.
• In Kenya, sprawling slums drive a relentless cycle of crime and imprisonment known as "the revolving door." But a former inmate joins fellow ex-prisoners to break that pattern for his people. Upon discovering The Way to Happiness, they set out to bring the 21 precepts to schools and community groups, steering youth from gangs and slashing drug use in schools from 80 percent to just 5. Then returning to Kenya's prisons, they cut recidivism by 51 percent—ending the cycle of crime and opening the door to a new beginning for Kenya's youth and families.
• In Colombo, Sri Lanka, where students are only taught rote memorization, a teacher sets out to instill actual understanding. After discovering Applied Scholastics, she integrates Study Technology at her school and, before long, her students are advancing three grade levels in a single year. Building on those gains, she creates a program for widespread teacher instruction on the barriers to study, ultimately training over 2,000 educators and transforming education for more than 80,000 students. All culminated in a national partnership to bring Study Technology to all 10,000 schools of Sri Lanka.

World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE), disseminating L. Ron Hubbard's Administrative Technology (Admin Tech) for group survival and prosperity:

• In the United Kingdom, a WISE member of Scottish heritage takes on the relentless rain of the British Isles when he assumes control of a failing gutter cleaning business. Applying Admin Tech, he rebuilds the operation—establishing an Organizing Board, codifying company policies and launching an apprenticeship program. Accordingly, his enterprise has expanded more than 140 times and now fields a fully trained force of 250 specialists, safeguarding 2,500 homes a week—more than 125,000 in the last year alone. Serving every county across the kingdom, his company today is the number one gutter and roof care service in the UK.
• In Colombia, customs delays and disorganization trigger trade backlogs that are triple the international average. But a WISE member and logistics expert applies Admin Tech to design his enterprise as a high-efficiency import-export engine. By consolidating every phase of cargo and customs and coordinating production flows, he compresses a 35-day cycle into just three days, transporting everything from white marble to steel and from animals to automobiles. Delivering more than 70,000 tons of cargo annually by land, air and sea across 91 nations, his company has expanded 46 times in the past decade, becoming Colombia's leading full-service logistics operator.
• In Hungary, where 9 out of 10 businesses fail due to a lack of organizational know-how, a WISE Consultant sets out to apply LRH solutions across the nation's commercial sector. His company's seminars equip leaders with the tools to implement proper procedures, driving Admin Tech into 6,000 companies and training over 25,000 professionals, ranging from a children's furniture factory earning prestigious Superbrands status to a theatrical tailoring house named Entrepreneur of the Year. Today, out of 1.8 million businesses in Hungary, this WISE Consultant firm ranks in the top one percent for stability and proven excellence.

International Hubbard Ecclesiastical League of Pastors (I HELP) and Scientology Missions International (SMI) provide Dianetics and Scientology introductory services in communities planetwide:

• In Japan, where three-quarters of the population say they live under stress and anxiety, an educator exploring psychology simultaneously discovers Dianetics and changes course completely. Establishing a Dianetics Group in Ashiya—the Beverly Hills of Japan—she sets out with a singular purpose: to rekindle the spirit of the Japanese people. She drives Dianetics throughout the region—from delivering introductory lectures to giving radio interviews—altogether introducing thousands to Dianetics. Whereafter, a city Mayor praises her for "bringing hope and true solutions," as she ignites the glow of a Book One wildfire spreading across her region of Japan.
• In Valencia, Spain, residents increasingly face rising crime and public insecurity. But the city's Ideal Scientology Mission stands as a pillar of freedom in Valencia's District of Light, delivering Scientology services from introductory levels to the State of Clear. From that foundation, the Mission extends its humanitarian impact with nearly 200 volunteers advancing Church-sponsored initiatives—United for Human Rights, The Way to Happiness and Drug-Free World—to residents and tourists alike. All as their Volunteer Minister disaster response proved decisive during Spain's deadliest floods of the century, leading Valencia's Civil Guard to hail the Mission for strengthening the city's social foundation.
• Finally, an international showcase of ribbon-cutting ceremonies marked an unprecedented year of worldwide Mission growth. From the City Center of Plzeň, Czech Republic's Gateway to Europe; to Budapest, Hungary, the Jewel of the Danube; and Shizuoka, Japan, beneath the sacred silhouette of Mount Fuji, new Ideal Missions arose to uplift communities. In California, three more cut ribbons: in Montrose, just north of Los Angeles, nestled beneath the San Gabriel Mountains; in San Jose, surrounded by the Santa Cruz Mountains; and in Riverpark, near the state capitol in Sacramento. While just last month, Lakeway, Texas, hosted the final Ideal Mission opening to cap an outstanding 12 months.

The evening's celebration soared on with the superlative results from Ideal Organizations helmed by executive teams just graduated from Golden Age of Administration training—immediately demonstrating explosive advances. Mr. Miscavige led the audience on a global tour, beginning in the US with stops at Churches in New York; Washington, DC; and Twin Cities—then to Europe for Milan and Stuttgart, and in the Far East from Tokyo and Kaohsiung, culminating in the newest Ideal Org in Eastern Cape in South Africa. Perfectly primed with the most important training in Scientology history, this new breed of executive has fueled double-digit growth in Churches around the world—propelling individuals toward total spiritual freedom.

"There is one last story still waiting to rise," Mr. Miscavige continued, before the Shrine erupted in a crescendo of celebration as he unveiled the forthcoming Ideal Org in Puerto Rico. Salsa music next lifted the night, as a cinematic preview of the dazzling new building in the heart of San Juan sparked a wave of Puerto Rican flags across the auditorium. The historic ribbon-cutting, heralding the first Ideal Org for the Caribbean, is set to take place in the coming weeks.

The celebration swelled once again, with anticipation filling the air as over 240 Scientologists were honored as Power Field Staff Members (FSMs) for having helped at least 100 individuals onto and up the Bridge to Total Freedom in 2025. Even more remarkable, an astonishing 12 Scientologists were awarded as Elite FSMs, having helped 1,000 or more individuals up the Bridge in just the past year.

The final dramatic revelation came as Mr. Miscavige announced the newest broadcast message for the curious—an anthem for the indomitable human spirit and the soul of humanity. Set to premiere during Super Bowl LX and the World Cup in 2026, the message will reach more people in more nations than ever before.

With that look toward tomorrow, the evening drew to its close. And just as "Auld Lang Syne" marks the promise of a new year, it is a time-honored Scientology tradition that Mr. Miscavige sets the course for limitless horizons that lie ahead.

"And so, as we stand at the threshold of a new year, you have just seen what happens when LRH Technology meets the real world," Mr. Miscavige said. "But the truth is, everything you saw tonight now turns to you."

"Because if every Scientologist here tonight moves forward with the certainty of LRH, if every Scientologist here tonight takes the next step and helps another take theirs, then there is no distance we cannot close, no barrier we cannot break and no future beyond our reach."

SOURCE Church of Scientology International