Ugandan environmentalist breaks Guinness world record for the longest tree hug

Faith Ariokot an environmentalist and founder Faith in trees has on December 29, 2023 broken the Guinness World record for the longest tree hug by an individual.

The standing record was of 10 hours and 5 minutes by Adrienne Long in September 2020.

Ariokot had on December 8, 2023 attempted to break the record but it was not considered because the camera glitched and she missed minutes of the attempt.

“I am doing this because Trees matter,” she said.

Now Ariokot has set the new record at exactly 15 hours and 19 minutes.

“My Country, my people, my loves! We did it. We broke the world record of 8 hours. We surpassed our expected time of 13 hours. We were on our way to make at least 17 hours then lightning struck and we had no choice but to stop the attempt. My heart is full,” she posted on her X account.

However, she will have to submit evidence and wait for review from the Guinness World records team before she is announced the record holder.

She joins Mama D a Ugandan chef who also ended her cook-athon at 144 hours 7 minutes and 6seconds on December 29, 2023 having started on December 23, 2023 after breaking the world record for the longest cooking time by an individual.

Mama D revealed that the plan was to end on January 1, 2024 at midnight but was advised to stop by health experts who were monitoring her health.

“My team and I are currently submitting all evidence to Guinness World Record who will review and give a final verdict in a space of two weeks,” she said.

It should be noted that the Guinness World Records does not pay record holders but its role is to merely celebrate the world’s best, to inspire ordinary people and to entertain and inform.

“For these reasons, we do not pay record-breakers for their achievements or for carrying out a record title attempt,” reads an excerpt on the GWR website.

Mama D and Ariokot join other Ugandan Guinness World Recorder holders like Raymond Kahuma, who made the largest rolex (chapati and rolled eggs), weighing 204.6kgs in 2021; King Oyo as the youngest reigning monarch; the 1976 Shortest Hostage Rescue by Israelis at the Entebbe Airport, Joshua Cheptegei, the world 10,000 metre fastest runner who clocked 26 minutes 11 seconds in Spain in 2020.