I'm writing to inform you of a unique event coming up next week on the University of Minnesota Campus.  On Tuesday, April 7th, there will be a screening of the documentary Invisible Children: Rough Cut, a film which tells the story of the child soldiers of northern Uganda.  As well as providing a free movie, the event aims to raise awareness about the child trafficking issues currently facing Uganda.  Staff members from the non-profit organization Invisible Children will be present to lead the evening and to host a Q&A session directly following the film.  In addition of Rough Cut, a shorter update on the current situation called The Rescue of Joseph Kony's Child Soldiers  will be shown.
   Invisible Children is a non-profit lobby and development organization that exists to bring both practical relief and long-term peace to the area in northern Uganda most affected by this civil war.  The war is between a rebel faction known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government.  The rebels are known for their abduction of children for use as porters, soldiers and sex slaves.  Just since last September, the LRA has displaced more than 160,000 people killed over 900.  After 23 years of fighting and 66,000 abducted, so much of the world still remains ignorant of the situation.  With Obama's campaign promises still fresh in our ears, and the rebels weakened due to a recent military offensive, now is a crucial time to act on behalf of Uganda. 
   CocaCola is supplying beverages, and FREE T-SHIRTS will be handed out at the door to the first 50 attendees.

Sincerely,
Mitchell Ahrens

What: Screening of Documentary Invisible Children
When: April 7th @ 7:30
Where: Willey Hall 175, U of M West Bank
Why: To become aware of the issues of human-trafficking, war, and reconstruction currently facing Uganda, as well as some of the ways that we can get involved with putting an end to the violence.
Cost: FREE
The Film: Insibile Children: Rough Cut was released in 2003.  It was filmed by three college students from California who traveled to Uganda and discovered the night-commuters, thousands of children who fled from their homes to the cities at night for fear of abduction.  They made a documentary about it, and proceeded to found a non-profit organization to raise awareness about the conflict and to start development work in the community.  Since then they have toured the nation multiple times, showing the film in any venue that will host them.
The Rescue of Joseph Kony's Child Soldiers is an update on the develpments of the past six years, including especially the Juba Peace Talks, and the recent Operation Lightning Thunder.