2025 marked another milestone as ACLENet launched a campaign to work with the media to spread lightning safety information. The media can reach thousands of times more people than ACLENet's officers, staff, newsletter, or all the scholarly publications on lightning combined.
In June, the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda worked with ACLENet's President Ken Nixon and Managing Director Mary Ann Cooper to introduce over 30 press people to the organization and to their role in decreasing lightning deaths during a press conference at the Government Media Center. ACLENet spoke about lightning's devastating effects and pledged to facilitate the press's contact with experts on lightning science, protection systems, and injury prevention.
Journalists who accompanied ACLENet to Palabek SS, Lamwo District, for International Lightning Safety Day 2025:
Media stories from ILSD2025 and First Lady's Proclamation of International Lightning Safety Day 2025:
- FIRST LADY proclaiming INTERNATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY DAY 2025; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U_KcFjevaQ&t=99s
- 18 Children struck dead by lightning in Kiryandongo - Waliwo kaweefube w’okuteeka obuuma obukwata laddu ku masomero
- Education Ministry commits to requiring lightning protection systems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpCy8cwgIo
- Protecting Ugandan Schools from Lightning: First Lady Leads Safety Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW3qHsjoSHw
- School lightning tragedy in Uganda sparks global campaign: https://www.independent.co.ug/school-lightning-tragedy-in-uganda-sparkes-global-campaign/
- Uganda is a lightning hotspot, particularly during the rainy seasons; https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/uganda-lightning-hotspot-particularly-during-the-rainy-seasons-5105042
- Do more to stop lightning from killing people – Uganda; https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/editorial/do-more-to-stop-lightning-from-killing-people-5107862
- Experts Warn Schools Are Uganda’s Deadliest Places During Thunderstorms; https://parrotsug.com/experts-warn-schools-are-ugandas-deadliest-places-during-thunderstorms/
- Zhang Visits Uganda to Help with Installation of Lightning Protection Systems; https://essic.umd.edu/zhang-visits-uganda-to-help-with-installation-of-lightning-protection-systems/
- First Lady welcomes program to prevent lightning injuries in schools; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii9Cyd_sTOc&t=10s
- ACLENet and Government of Uganda Sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to Further ‘Building Lightning Safe Communities’ Effort; https://www.send2press.com/wire/aclenet-and-government-of-uganda-sign-memorandum-of-understanding-mou-to-further-building-lightning-safe-communities-effort/
- Faculty lightning tragedy in Uganda sparks world advertising and marketing and marketing and marketing campaign; https://ams.confex.com/ams/101ANNUAL/prelim.cgi/Paper/379370
- https://thenewlightpaper.co.ug/2025/07/07/faculty-lightning-tragedy-in-uganda-sparks-world-advertising-and-marketing-and-marketing-and-marketing-campaign/
Our thanks to the press for their widespread coverage of ILSD2025 and the threat of lightning to the people of Africa.
Please let us know if we missed any stories so that we can add them here.
