By Sarah Kirikumwino | Laudato Si Clubs President | October 03, 2025 | Laudato Si’ — Praise be to You, O Lord.
A sacred call to action was witnessed yesterday as people of faith gathered to mark the end of the Season of Creation, while also celebrating the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. This was no ordinary event it was a beautiful interfaith celebration, uniting believers from different religious traditions with one shared intention: to care for our common home.
We gathered not as strangers of different creeds, but as neighbours and co-stewards of creation, united by a spirit of peace, love, and shared responsibility. This year’s Season of Creation theme, “Peace with Creation,” deeply resonated throughout the gathering, as we acknowledged the urgent need to make peace with God, with nature, and with one another. In a time when division seems to grow, this gathering was a powerful testament to unity, love, and common purpose.
Faith as a Foundation for Integral Ecology
In attendance were representatives from diverse faith communities (Christian, Muslim, Bahá’í, Cultural, and others)
- Environmental and peace activists.
- Youth leaders and students.
- Civil society organizations engaged in ecology and peace work.
- Local community members and leaders.
Date and Venue:
Date: 3rd October 2025
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Venue: Laudatosi Corner, Nsambya Catholic Parish.
Proposed Activities: Keynote Reflections: Theological, spiritual, and scientific insights on creation and peace.
Panel Discussions: Interfaith dialogue on climate justice, ecological spirituality, and peacebuilding.
Communal Prayer/Reflection: Shared spiritual moment to affirm the sacredness of
creation and peace.
Action Commitments: Collective resolutions and follow-up strategies.
This year’s conference takes on special significance as we commemorate:
– The 10th Anniversary of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si’, a ground breaking call for
ecological conversion and climate justice.
– The 800th Anniversary of The Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis of Assisi, a poetic
celebration of creation as our common brotherhood.
Objectives
The 2nd Interfaith Conference on Climate and Environment seeks to:
1. Deepen interfaith understanding of the link between care for creation and
2. 3. 4. 5. peacebuilding.
Provide a platform for dialogue and shared witness among diverse faith communities.
Strengthen networks for collective action on ecological sustainability and climate
justice.
To honour Pope Francis and St. Francis of Assisi by drawing inspiration from
Laudato Si’ and The Canticle of Creatures.
Inspire communities to live out practical commitments in their local contexts.
Africa and the wider world, remind us that peace cannot be separated from how we care for creation. Faith traditions affirm that creation is a sacred gift entrusted to humanity, and peace is the fruit of right relationship with God, nature, and one another.
By reflecting on “Creation and Peace,” this year’s conference will highlight the deep interconnection between ecological care and peacebuilding. Without ecological balance there can be no lasting peace; without peace, creation itself suffers violence.
The conference concluded with a commitment to nurture practical partnerships for climate justice, ecological sustainability, and peacebuilding. Some of the Participants of the 1st Interfaith Conference on Climate and Environment, which took place on 11th September, 2024 at St. Denis Ssebugwawo Holy Cross Catholic Parish, Konge Lukuli.
The theme of the conference was: Bridging Faiths for Environmental Harmony. The urgency of the climate crisis continues to manifest in devastating ways — rising global temperatures, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, and heightened human vulnerability. At the same time, conflicts and social instability across the globe,
THE 2ND INTERFAITH CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT
Faiths United for Climate Justice
“Creation and Peace: A Sacred Call to Heal Our Common Home” “Peace, justice and the preservation of creation are three absolutely interconnected themes.” —
Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, 92
Background
In 2024, the 1st Interfaith Conference on Climate and Environment was successfully
convened at St. Denis Ssebugwawo Holy Cross Catholic Parish, Konge Lukuli. The
conference was made possible through the collaboration of Caritas Konge Lukuli Parish,
The Franciscan Family, Laudato Youth Initiative, the Bahá’í community, the
Congregation of Holy Cross, and with the participate of Laudato Si’ Movement Uganda Chapter. This historic gathering brought together voices of faith, science, and community action to reflect on the pressing climate crisis, promote interfaith dialogue, and affirm the shared responsibility of humanity to protect our common home.
AN INTERFAITH CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT September 11th, 2024
“While the existing world order proves powerless to assume its responsibilities,
local individuals and groups can make a real difference.” (Laudato Si 179)
Theme: Bridging Faiths for Environmental HarmonyOverview:
The world is facing unprecedented environmental challenges that require urgent collective action. Recognizing the importance of interfaith collaboration in addressing these issues, ST. DENIS SSEBUGWAWO CATHOLIC PARISH, KONGE LUKULI, is proud to host an Interfaith Conference on Climate Action.
This conference aims to bring together representatives from various religious traditions to explore the intersection of faith, climate, and environmental stewardship.
The world is facing unprecedented environmental challenges that require urgent collective action. Recognizing the importance of interfaith collaboration in addressing these issues, ST. DENIS
SSEBUGWAWO CATHOLIC PARISH, KONGE LUKULI, proudly hosted an Interfaith Conference on Climate Action. This conference aimed to bring together representatives from various religious traditions to explore the intersection of faith, climate, and environmental stewardship.
The primary objective of the conference is to foster dialogue, collaboration, and action among different religious communities to address climate change and environmental degradation.
By leveraging the shared values and teachings of diverse faith traditions, the conference seeks to inspire practical solutions and collective responsibility toward a sustainable future.
The conference featured a combination of keynote addresses, including Laudato Club President Sarah Kirikumwino on the panel discussions, and networking sessions. Laudato Youth had the opportunity to engage with members of other faith groups.
The Director of the Kampala Archdiocese Department of Justice and Peace, Fr Emmanuel Sita elaborates on the Catholic Church’s teaching on the environment, and activities the archbishop’s appeal for all people to participate in the Justice and peace months when he said “The Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala has declared September as the month of justice and peace.
Key Themes Explored were
1. The Moral Imperative of Environmental Stewardship: Exploring the teachings and scriptures of different faiths regarding humanity’s responsibility towards the environment.
2. The Laudato si encyclical. (Pope Francis’ reflection on protecting our common home)
3. Climate Change Impacts and Vulnerabilities: Understanding the disproportionate effects of climate change on vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
4. Interfaith Collaboration for Climate Action:
Identifying opportunities for joint initiatives, advocacy, and community-based projects to mitigate climate change and promote environmental justice.
5. Sustainable Practices and Eco-Spirituality:
Sharing best practices, rituals, and traditions that promote ecological sustainability and reverence for the natural world.
The Bahai faith leaders also elaborated the Bahai faith approach to justice and peace affirming Pope Fracis’ call in Laudato Si. Community leaders, the Chapter leader of Laudato Si Movement Uganda among other practitioners from different faith backgrounds were present.
Mr. Kugonza K. Nicholas OFS also shared his Laudato Si experience, and his role are the organizer of the event working in collaboration with Caritas Uganda.
The conference was open to representatives from all religious communities, including clergy, scholars, activists, youth leaders, and environmental practitioners.
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