Uganda’s Patricia Ariokot locks in Guinness World Record

Following three interesting attempts, climate and environment activist Patricia Ariokot finally secured the bragging rights as a Ugandan female Guinness World Record holder specifically for the longest time to hug a tree by an individual. She is also the first record holder in this category at 16 hours confirmed by Guinness World Record.

GWR sent her an email confirming her as indeed the reigning record holder of longest tree hug individual standing at 16 hours and also posted her record on their website. But how exactly did Patrica Ariokot reach on these three attempts???

On 8th December 2023, she embarked on participating her way into a Guinness world record. Preparation and all was done for the record attempt to take place and also be recorded. The recording took place unfortunately in the process of recording, the camera got a glitch and the team was unable to account for a small fraction of the time. This invalidated the entry.

Intentional Patricia made her second attempt on 29th December 2023, the activity went on notably amidst a lot of encouragement and vouching evidenced by the posts made on social media. Unfortunately again, one of the camera persons mistakenly deleted the footage. I can confirm to you that these unfortunate events did happen.

The Guinness World Record team communicated the need for the attempt to be recorded from the beginning to the end uninterrupted and have it submitted. A valid submission cannot have missing time in the recording. In her specific attempt; it did not require taking a break.

The attempt was executed again on 16th January 2024. Her second was the most publicized attempt however to avoid controversy and back and forth from the public following two attempts that had unfortunate eventualities, the third attempt was silently executed and submitted, fortunately without any mishaps this time around.

Patricia executed the third attempt in the manner she did with the resolution that once the third attempt was approved, she would share the good news with the public as opposed to first telling the public of the intention of a third attempt.

Thorough preparations were made with extra camera crews deployed in the event of unforeseen eventualities; phones were also used in the recording to proof the third attempt of prior incidents.

Frankly, Patricia confesses that the three attempts have bitten hard in her pocket but she does not regret this because she is now a Guinness World Record holder. The record goes without saying that it shines an even brighter light on Patricia Ariokot’s initiatives including planting trees and environmental conservation.

During Patricia’s attempts to set the world record, many had mixed reactions to it however above it all. Patricia clearly echoes that in whatever one does, there will be criticisms. She shares that she took the positive feedback that came with it and ran with that through it all.

In the exclusive, when asked about the reaction of various stakeholders to the conversation of environment conservation, she shares that it is a work in progress. She confesses that she has walked into several offices and engaged with several prospects on how to be part of the environmental conversation, however notably, many promise to reach out to her but never do. This response has been quite a challenge on her end.

One of her particular experiences includes her walking to a bank to get on board as she attempted the Guinness World Record, one of the officials from the financial institution whose name she withheld asked while in the meeting, How does our bank benefit from trees?

Where does Patricia get all this fire in her bones, one would ask? Well…Patricia has been planting trees since she was 12 years old, with her father who also is a farmer and has served a greater part of Teso region with trees. Trees benefit us at the end of the day.

Patricia expresses her confidence and holds that she cannot be influenced by climate propagandists. Patricia appreciates all the support she has been getting, however calls upon people to participate for maximum impact.
She also underscores mindset change of individuals needs to improve if we are to attain the desired results. Many think that the question of environmental conversation is a government or NGO problem, and they think that it has nothing to do with them, which is not right. She shares that many do not recognise the tremendous power they have to be agents of change in the environment.