On 19 October 2026, I had the privilege of training more than 30 Environmental Human Rights Defenders from different districts across Uganda to strengthen their capacity  in media engagement, digital advocacy, ethical storytelling, digital safety, data protection and artificial intelligence (AI). One of the key reflections from the training was that doing important advocacy work is not enough if the stories, evidence, and experiences behind that work do not reach the people who need to hear them. "One important key takeaway from the training is that online threats do not stay online. Protecting ourselves digitally is essential to safeguarding our voices, our rights, and our work for climate and environmental justice,”said Irene Mutesi one of the participants. My presentation focused on : Ethical and responsible digital storytelling. I emphasised the importance of telling stories that protect communities, respect informed consent, and minimise risks to environmental defenders. Storytelling must uphold the dignity of people whose experiences we document, recognise their agency, and avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Communities are not merely victims of injustice,they are knowledge holders, organisers, innovators, and active participants in shaping solutions. Digital platforms offer environmental defenders opportunities tocommunicate directly with the public. A well-told story, short video, photo essay, podcast, opinion article, or social media campaign can make complex issues more accessible and bring greater visibility to community concerns. Artificial Intelligence presents opportunities to improve research, analyse information, develop content, and communicate more effectively. However, defenders must be mindful of the risks associated with its use, including misinformation, deepfakes, and manipulation. Digital advocacy exposes defenders to online harassment, intimidation, cyberstalking, and coordinated attacks. We explored practical ways to identify, prevent, document, respond to, and mitigate digital threats. Through interactive group exercises, participants explored how to develop compelling stories, simplify technical information, manage passwords securely, and recognise how cyberattacks .When defenders tell their stories effectively and safely, their work has a greater opportunity to inform public debate, influence decision-makers, build solidarity, and advance environmental and human rights. Grateful to all the partners who made this  knowledge-sharing opportunity possible.#EnvironmentalJustice #DigitalAdvocacy #EnvironmentalHumanRightsDefenders #EthicalStorytelling #DigitalSafety #ResponsibleAI #ClimateJustice

24th October is not just a day like anyother; it is history embedded in aspiration and ambition. It has been 81 years of serving humanity. The best is yet to come👌. Happy UN Day.

One Tree 🌳 at a time towards 40M Trees.