PRESS RELEASE: Invisible Children Launches World Tour for Their Biggest Event Yet: 'The Rescue'

Invisible Children Launches World Tour for Their Biggest Event Yet: 'The Rescue'

SAN DIEGO--Invisible Children,, an organization dedicated to providing relief for the war-affected region of northern Uganda, is calling on the international community to end the longest running war in Africa. They're going global in a radical bid to rescue child soldiers from rebel leader, Joseph Kony. Their mission will take them to nine countries worldwide, rallying an entire generation to seek justice for one of the most neglected humanitarian emergencies through their World Event on April 25th.

For the 23 years, the region has been consumed by conflict. Despite a ceasefire called between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and Ugandan government, efforts toward peace were stalled on several occasions by Kony's refusal to sign the final peace agreement. In early 2009, the Ugandan government and surrounding countries launched a military operation intended to defeat the LRA and capture the rebel leader. The LRA retaliated by murdering and displacing thousands of civilians, while abducting hundreds of children to fight amongst its ranks. A war originally contained within Uganda's borders has now evolved into a widespread regional crisis, prompting massive international attention.
"It's frightening that this war has now grown into an international crisis," says Jason Russell, co-founder of Invisible Children. "We need to respond with an international body of activists to increase the visibility of this conflict and end Joseph Kony's reign of terror."

Invisible Children's grassroots movement is expanding by uniting global citizens from the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland with a call to action: be a part of history. The tour will feature a new piece of media that exposes the urgency of the crisis and the need for a collective protest for justice. Participants will be asked to sign up for the TRI Campaign and host a House Party on March 25th to build momentum for "The Rescue" on April 25th. This is Invisible Children's sixth tour- - yet unlike any other, this tour will empower the international community to change the social and political climate of central east Africa on a global scale.

WORLD TOUR LAUNCH DATES:
US- 10 National Tours: Feb. 16th- April 24th
UK- 3 Tours: Feb. 14th- April 18th
AUSTRALIA- 1 Tour- Feb. 14th- April 24th
NEW ZEALAND- 1 Tour: Jan. 26th- Feb. 13th
MEXICO- 1 Tour: Mar 9th- April 24th

This is Invisible Children's third Awareness Event, following the Global Night Commute in 2006 and Displace Me in 2007 which included nearly 150, 000 people collectively. The attention generated from these events widely contributed to the start of the peace talks. The political impact of this event is anticipated to be historical not only for northern Uganda and surrounding areas, but for the power of the new generation of activists. Nine countries. 100 cities. One collective voice: arrest Joseph Kony.

About Invisible Children, Inc.
Invisible Children is a social, political and global movement using the transformative power of story to change lives. By inspiring youth culture to value creativity, idealism and sacrifice, the movement fuels the most effective, adaptable and innovative programs in the world. Programs on the ground focus on long-term development through education and economic opportunities, while awareness and advocacy efforts focus on educating and inspiring the Western world to use their unique voice for change. The organization was created after the release of the 2004 film "Invisible Children: Rough Cut," a revealing documentary about the plight of child soldiers in northern Uganda. For more information, visit www.invisiblechildren.com.

Invisible Children is a social, political and global movement using the transformative power of story to change lives. By inspiring youth culture to value creativity, idealism and sacrifice, the movement fuels the most effective, adaptable and innovative programs in the world.
www.invisiblechildren.com