Laudato Si Green Festival 2026 Eastern Region: Catholic Youth Lead Climate Action for Integral Ecology in Uganda

By Laudato Youth Initiative | Press Release | May 4, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
JINJA: Ms. Immaculate Kisembo | +256 701 571573 | laudatoyouthinitiative@gmail.com
KAMPALA: Mr. Bernard Kahwa | +256 730 03823 | info@laudato-youthinitiative.org

Laudato Si Green Green Festival to Advance Catholic Youth-Led Climate Action in Integral Ecology and Peacebuilding values among the youth in Eastern Uganda

Jinja, Uganda – May 2026. Inspired by the vision of Pope Francis in Laudato Si’, the Laudato Youth Initiative and the Laudato Si Club of Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S will host the Third Annual Laudato Si Green Festival at Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S, Wanyange Jinja. from July 10–11, 2026. The event will feature one of the largest Catholic youth gatherings for Care of Creation activities, including the Green Mass, under the theme: “Environmental Conservation for Peace and Sustainable Development.”

From left, Laudato Youth, Center Ms. Immaculate Kisembo, Programs Manager (LYI) and Patron Laudato Si Club at Holy Cross Lake View, on Busoga One Radio program raising awareness about the Festival. Right Program moderator Mrs. Krystal Asiimwe (HCFM)

The festival convenes youth, educators, innovators, religious leaders from schools across the region, and environmental experts in integral ecology from all over the Country to motivate, mentor, and accompany young people in their work, helping concretize their ideas into practical solutions moving from awareness to action, positioning schools as living laboratories for sustainability, research, and community impact.

Key Highlights of the festival activities

Day 1 – July 10, 2026

*Community Clean-Up Campaign: the school and the neighboring community of Wanyange and Bugembe.

Day 2 – July 11, 2026

Students arrive at Moreau Arena for the Care for Creation Mass upon raising awareness through the Green Walk from Bugembe Parish to Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S during the 2025 Laudato Si Green Festival.

* Green Walk – Community, the school, and festival participants.

* Expansion of the one million tree planting campaign with Busoga Catholics in Kampala – Memorial tree planting by participants of the Green Walk and Guests.

*Care for the Creation Mass– Main Celebrant: Rev. Caxton Peter Mayanja, C.S.C., Provincial of the Congregation of Holy Cross Province of East Africa, who will celebrate a creation Mass that will inspire schools and the community, to care for our “common home” and to promote new pathsways to achieve integral human ecology and pray for the poor, victims of war and climate disasters for sustainable living.

*Sustainable offertory bags used during the 2025 care for creation Mass to communicate the need to fight single use plastics on the Church events and activities.*

* Guest of Honor and Keynote speaker – Fr. Emmanuel Katongole, Professor, Theology & Peace Studies (University of Notre Dame), Co-founder, Bethany Land Institute – Luweero. Who will address participants on “Environmental Conservation for Peace and Sustainable Development,” sharing practical agroforestry solutions rooted in integral ecology.

**From Left Mr. Benard Kahwa, Executive Director (LYI), Center Fr. Emmanuel Katongole (BLI) and Left Sarah Kirikumwino Laudato Youth Initiatives (LYI) Clubs’ President**

* Youth-led eco-innovation exhibitions and research showcases – Laudato Si Clubs and partners.

* Sustainability dialogues connect science, talent, community, and family peace to a healthy environment and mental health – Participating Schools and Guests.

* A special statement from the Laudato Youth Initiative to all participants, inspired by the Uganda Martyrs. – Board signing, etc.

Through hands-on learning, the event equips youth with practical skills, nurtures scientific thinking, and provides mentorship to foster leadership in integral ecology and sustainable development, building synergy between faith, peace, and environmental conservation.

Catholic parishes, schools, religious organizations, and corporate partners are invited to collaborate and support this festival. Your participation will help empower youth to realize their innovations, research, and environmental stewardship programs. Together, we can live out the spirit of Laudato Si’ through concrete action. To join or partner with us in this transformative initiative for environmental conservation, peace, and sustainable development, email us at 📧 info@laudato-youthinitiative.org | laudatoyouthinitiative@gmail.com

About the Festival
Launched in 2023, the Laudato Si Green Festival is Uganda’s premier Catholic youth-led event for ecological and social transformation. Embracing Pope Francis’ call in Laudato Si’, and the Uganda Martyrs as the seed of hope for integral ecology. The festival integrates faith, science, and innovation to advance climate action, sustainability, and peace within families, communities, schools, and the world. Laudato Si Clubs in schools nurture faith, eco-values, family-based learning, Catholic social teaching, interfaith cooperation, and empower young people to become stewards of the future and agents of ecological change in their communities, parishes, and schools.

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. 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.” Vatican News Reported

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)

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.

However 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!