Pre-Festival Activities
On July 9 and 10, 2026, students and staff of Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School conducted a clean-up exercise in Musima Village, Wanyange. The activity aimed to promote environmental awareness and encourage the community to protect the environment.
The Festival Day
The festival commenced with a Green March from Holy Cross Catholic Parish, Bugembe, to our School. The march was flagged off by the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Francis Mukasa, C.S.C., joined by different Guests, Students, Teachers, and some Community members who marched to raise awareness about the need to work together for peace-building, environmental conservation, and sustainable living.
Care for Creation Mass (Green Mass)
The Care for Creation Mass was presided over by the Provincial Superior of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Province of East Africa, Rev. Fr. Peter Caxton Mayanja, C.S.C.
In his homily, Fr. Peter emphasized God’s providence as key to our Christian living and underscored the urgency of environmental stewardship, calling on participants to renew their commitment to protecting God’s creation. He cited reading New Vision warnings on the anticipated El Niño. He narrated his childhood story of poor kapere to explain the self-defeating behavior of man in destroying the environment, warning the congregation to desist from such behavior and reflect on God’s gift of creation and its beauty, and challenging everyone to appreciate both the Creator and His creation by embracing responsible environmental practices. He concluded by urging all people to work together to make the world a better place for present and future generations.
Ms. Kisembo highlighted the eco-exhibitions as a key festival feature, where students showcased creativity and innovation by integrating faith, science, talent, and the wisdom of wisdom from their mentors to address ecological challenges and the climate crisis. She noted that these exhibitions are raising ecological awareness and equipping students to drive ecological and social transformation. Ms. Kisembo also emphasized that climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss are not only environmental issues but also moral and ethical concerns that require both individual and collective action.
Ms. Kisembo expressed appreciation for the launch of the www.empiisaenungi.com (Bishop Martin Wamika Legacy Program), which promotes “Good Manners and Responsible Use of Technology” to instill values that extend beyond ecology to children’s overall upbringing. She described the program as a timely initiative that will equip students with the values and skills needed for responsible digital citizenship, while reinforcing that caring for creation reflects faith, responsible citizenship, and community service. She stated, “By nurturing environmental stewardship alongside responsible technology use, we are preparing a generation that will protect our common home and contribute to a more just and sustainable world.”
Guest of Honor
The Guest of Honor was the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Kasule Lumumba, who Hon. Salaam Musumba accompanied. In her address, Rt. Hon. Kasule Lumumba thanked the organizers of the Laudato Si Green Festival for bringing young people together to promote environmental conservation. She stressed that protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility and that every action people take should be guided by its impact on nature.
Using the colours people wore as symbols, she explained that green represents vegetation and life, white represents the light plants need to grow, and brown represents the soil, reminding the audience that healthy soil, sunlight, and plants are interconnected. She encouraged participants to preserve not only trees but also the soil because it supports all plant life.
She noted that development activities such as mining and construction depend on natural resources and can harm the environment if not managed responsibly. Therefore, environmental issues should always be considered when making development decisions.
The Guest of Honour also spoke about the future of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI). She explained that AI can support environmental conservation and agriculture by helping farmers identify crop diseases and pests, recommend the correct pesticides, advise on the right quantities to use, and guide farmers on the proper time and method of application. She said technology should be embraced as a tool for solving environmental challenges while reducing harm to nature.
Addressing the students, she reminded them that they had been given a valuable educational opportunity that many young people do not have. She encouraged them to use their education wisely, make responsible choices, and become productive citizens who contribute positively to Uganda’s future rather than wasting their potential.
Finally, she urged everyone to continue planting trees, protecting green spaces, and encouraging their communities to care for the environment. She concluded by calling on young people to become ambassadors for environmental conservation and to use both knowledge and technology to build a greener and more sustainable future.
A Celebration of Faith, Innovation, and Environmental Action. Youth Activities
– Art, music, drama, and cultural performances promoting environmental responsibility
Exhibitions
STEM innovations addressing climate change – Jdiobe STEM Foundation
Environmental leadership mentorship by experts in the knowledge booth
Sustainable agriculture exhibitions – Bethany Land Institute
Waste management and recycling demonstrations
Renewable energy innovations
Mr. Kahwa Benard, the LYI Executive Director, said
“When young people unite for climate action, environmental conservation becomes more than a campaign. It becomes a pathway to peace and sustainable development.”
Impact
The festival was very successful. It is growing in scalability every year, providing a platform for environmental awareness, behavior change, climate education, students learning new creative ideas and scientific research, our schools’ collaboration with other schools and the community, enhancing our corporate social responsibility, and collective action among schools and stakeholders through enhancing our involvement in integral ecology.
The festival highlighted the important role of young people in promoting care for creation and advancing sustainable environmental practices within their community, with ideas that schools carried home to transform their environment and families around Wanyange to begin ecologically responsive activities, especially managing plastic waste. We prepared people well for the national cleaning day through our community action and awareness.
We give thanks to God for the success of the event and extend our sincere appreciation to all participants, partners, guests, and organizers whose dedication and support contributed to making the festival a memorable and impactful occasion.
The Laudato Youth Initiative envisions ecological education becoming an integral part of Catholic education, and indeed all education, throughout Uganda. Future plans include expanding Laudato Si’ Clubs, strengthening regional Green Festivals at the national level, deepening partnerships with dioceses, schools, religious congregations, government institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners, and providing practical leadership training for young environmental ambassadors with capacity-building programs in our Laudato Si Academies that will enhance innovations and research for sustainability.
The long-term goal is clear: to nurture a generation of ethical leaders who understand that protecting creation goes hand in hand with promoting peace, justice, innovation, and human dignity.
As Pope Francis reminds us in Laudato Si’, “Everything is connected.”
By investing in Uganda’s youth today, our Laudato Si’ Green Festival program is helping build a future where faith inspires action, technology serves humanity, and environmental stewardship becomes a way of life. In caring for our common home, Uganda’s young people are not only protecting the environment but also shaping a more just, peaceful, and sustainable nation for generations to come, united for climate action.
Vatican News Interview with Fr. Peter Caxton Mayanja, CSC about the festival starting at minite 15
