By Laudato Youth Initiative | Press Release | 23 Feb, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
JINJA: Ms Immaculate Kisembo
LYI Programs Manager, LSiC Club Patron
Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S
WhatsApp +256701571573
Email: laudatoyouthinitiative@gmail.com

KAMPALA: Mr. Bernard Kahwa
Director Laudato Youth Initiative
John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre, Kampala, Uganda
Email info@laudato-youthinitiative.org
Phone: +25673003823

The Laudato Youth Initiative and its Laudato Si Club of Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S invite you for their third annual Laudato Si Green Festival in Jinja. The event scheduled for July 11, 2026  will Champion Youth-Led Climate Action and Peace-building in Uganda under the theme: “Environmental Conservation for Peace and Sustainable Development,” 

Jinja, Uganda – 2026 – Inspired by the call to ecological conversion and peace-building in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’, the Laudato Youth Initiative together with its Laudato Si Club of Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S announces its third Laudato Si Green Festival, an annual a youth-led and faith-inspired event dedicated to advancing climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods that will commence on July 10th and climax on July 11, 2026, at Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S, Wanyange Jinja. 

In 2026, the Laudato Si’ Green Festival will bring together a vibrant mix of youth, educators, faith leaders, farmers, innovators, policymakers, and community changemakers. Together, they will brainstorm hands-on solutions to environmental challenges and share fresh ideas for building peace in schools, institutions, and neighborhoods.

Led by the Laudato Si Club of Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S., the festival will gather schools from Jinja and beyond, uniting those with active Laudato Si and Environmental Clubs. Students will collaborate with experts, showcase their innovations, and deepen their understanding of climate issues through hands-on learning. By sparking conversations about peacebuilding and weaving ecological awareness and social responsibility into school life, the festival hopes to nurture a culture of peace that thrives outside the classroom. The event will also inspire schools and institutions to adopt practices that champion peace, community involvement, and sustainable living.

Inspired by Chapter One of Laudato Si’, ‘What Is Happening to Our Common Home?, the festival will invite young people to explore the ecological crisis from every angle: environmental, social, technological, and moral. By reimagining what it means to care for our world, the festival will rally youth to take climate action, build resilience, and spark a movement for sustainable change that allows people and nature to thrive together in peace.

A key outcome of the gathering will be the development of the First Laudato Youth Statement on Peaceful co-existence with Nature in Uganda.

Through interactive, hands-on activities and dialogue, the festival will empower and mobilize young leaders to design climate-smart, youth-driven innovations that advance environmental stewardship and sustainable development.

Participants will engage in impactful activities designed to foster ecological restoration and climate resilience, including:

• Tree Planting to enhance our one million tree planting drive and Community Clean-Up Campaigns
• Green Walk – public call to action on environmental conservation
• Eco Knowledge Booth Visit the exhibition stands, dialogue with eco-innovators and learn creative ideas.
  
• Youth-Centered Conservation Stories and Innovations
• Green Mass open air Mass (Care for the Creation Mass)
• Sustainability Dialogues with Community and Partner Organizations

These activities provide experiential learning opportunities that bridge faith, science, innovation, and community action.

Uganda’s agricultural economy and ecological heritage face increasing threats from climate change. The Laudato Si Green Festival responds by building local capacity and empowering youth as environmental stewards and peacebuilders.

The initiative promotes:

• Systematic Understanding – Equipping youth with knowledge of the root causes of ecological crises.
• Community Action Projects – Encouraging scalable, practical solutions for sustainability.
• Corporate Social Responsibility – Providing organizations with meaningful opportunities to support environmental conservation and peace-building efforts.

By linking ecological restoration with social justice and peace, the festival aligns environmental sustainability, with national development priorities and the Catholic Social Teachings on the Environment, Integral Ecology and the implementation of SDGs. 

Now in its third year, the festival continues to grow in scale and influence. In 2025, the event welcomed over 1,700 in-person participants and more than 4,000 online attendees, with coverage from local and international media outlets.

As Laudato Si Clubs expand, participants return to their schools and communities equipped with practical skills, strengthened collaboration networks, and renewed commitment to environmental action. The initiative supports Uganda’s broader efforts to combat climate change while preserving its agricultural strength and eco-tourism potential.

The Laudato Si Green Festival 2026 is strengthened through partnerships with leading organizations, including:

• Avail Fruits of Faith Farm –  (Discover practical solutions for sustainable farming and value addition)
• John Paul Justice and Peace Centre –  (Learn about Peace)
• Foresters Hse Consults –  (Importance of changing mindsets, rethinking the issue of pollution)
• Bethany Lands Institute – ( Participatory Agroforestry and Land Management)

These partners will deliver in-person training in climate-smart urban farming, peace-building, integral ecology, agroforestry, environmental health and safety consultancy, and sustainable practices. Through interactive knowledge booths and in-person interactions during and after the event they will equip participants with practical skills and actionable insights to support long-term impact.

Call to Action

Under the 2026 theme, “Environmental Conservation for Peace and Sustainable Development,” We invite corporate organizations, development partners, educational institutions, and community leaders to join this transformative initiative. Email info@laudato-youthinitiative.org for details. 

Your partnership will directly empower youth to advance sustainability, environmental stewardship, and peace-building across schools and communities.

About the Laudato Si Green Festival

The Laudato Si Green Festival was first held in 2023 it gathered over 1000 youth and the community. The second was held in 2025 and it attracted over 1700 youth and now we are seeing more participants come for this annual youth-led activity rooted in faith, innovation, and community action. So far the biggest regional gathering  bringing together youth with mentors to care for our common home. 

My Message is to emphasize the importance of youth engagement in environmental protection. “Involving students early is key to shaping a generation that values the environment,” Ms Immaculate emphasised while talking to Nilepost News. “Our goal is to challenge threats like deforestation and wetland encroachment and build a national culture of conservation.”

Through formation of Laudato Si Clubs in schools, universities, parishes, dioceses and communities and sustained partnerships, media engagement, and structured follow-up programs, the festival ensures long-term environmental and social impact.

We need partners to support us in this event. For partnerships, sponsorship opportunities, or media inquiries, please email us at: laudatoyouthinitiative@gmail.com or info@laudato-youthinitiative.org 

Together, we can cultivate a generation committed to ecological responsibility, peace, and sustainable development. Check the events of the previous! 

Follow us on social media Instagram, LinkedIn YouTube , Facebook and X @LaudatoYouth Initiative