In Celebration of Peace

As if Good Friday and the Iraq War’s fifth anniversary weren’t enough, March 21st also gave us the 50th birthday of the iconic peace symbol.

After reading its history in a breakdown from the BBC, I took some time to see just how much those three lines pop up in our culture. Here are two peace sightings that stood out:

-War protesters in downtown San Diego waving the emblem proudly on a flag.
-A friend wearing a scarf with dozens of images of the little guy* emblazoned across.

Thinking about it, the two uses couldn’t be more different. How is it that one symbol can be so easily switched between protesting a war and sporting a scarf? (more…)

Oh, Canada!

For the first time, Invisible Children is hitting up Canada. Yes, you heard that right – for our next national tour, we’re going international. Starting this fall, we’ll be crossing the border and we need a lot of help. If you’re interested in being part of the first group bringing the story to Canada, email Matt Wood at mwood@invisiblechildren.com. Whether you can help book some venues or even hook us up with relatives and friends of Canadian blood; we want it all, eh?

Peace and Conflict Updates 13 & 14

In case you haven’t been following the Peace and Conlflict section on ic.com, we’re here to guide you back over.

March has seen the aftermath of all five agenda points being agreed to between the Ugandan government and the LRA; including “northern Uganda plea for ICC indictments to be dropped,” “Kony leaving his base” and “the ICC writes Uganda.” 

If those headlines grab your attention or leave you curious for what they mean, stay educated on the current situation by reading the latest updates. 

Lobby Days Update Pt. 3

What would today be without another Lobby Days update? Fortunately, you won’t have to bother even thinking of such a day because Jessica Fairchild Conrad attended and gave us her story of how the weekend went. Before you read on, just want to let you know that Resolve Uganda has a list of the Congressmen signed onto a letter to the U.N. Secretary General calling for “sustained engagement of the ongoing Juba negotiations and an increase in U.N.-led recovery efforts on the ground in Uganda.”

And now, onto Jessica…

“This weekend, 800 people from all across the country came together in Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of northern Uganda. Some of the notables in attendance were: Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy, filmmakers from Invisible Children (Jason Russell and Laren Poole) and Melissa Fitzgerald from “The West Wing.”It was the largest lobby to ever take place on behalf of any country in Africa. Northern Uganda is home of the longest running war in Africa, a war that has primarily been fought by child soldiers. (more…)

In Memory of Lauren Burk, 1989-2008

We would like to express our deepest condolences for the loss of Lauren Burk, a freshmen at Auburn University and supporter of IC. The students at Auburn are close to each of us here at Invisible Children, and we are truly saddened by this tragedy.

Lauren was a student that served her peers, fellow Delta Gamma sorority sisters and students halfway across the world. Her compassionate life has left an indelible mark on us.

In lieu of flowers, Lauren’s family had requested that friends and family give to Invisible Children.  In celebration of Lauren’s life, Invisible Children will be accepting all donations received online through the Easter weekend in her name as a tribute to her and her compassionate service to those around her. Donations will go towards Invisible Children’s education and awareness programs both in northern Uganda and in the US.

Please go here to donate.

Lobby Days Update Pt. 2

Mariana Blanco, IC filmmaker and good person in general, wrote a piece for The ONE Campaign’s blog last week, discussing her involvement at Lobby Days last month. Here you go…

I had never been to lobby in DC before, and now that its been a few weeks, the best way I can describe the Northern Uganda Lobby Days is in familiar terms–it was like a film, I think Rocky: Day one was the training montage; day two the fight on Capitol Hill, the fight to get our voice heard. I am a filmmaker for Invisible Children, and the world on Capitol Hill always struck me as cryptic and intimidating; but for two days at the end of March, I met person after person, sincerely excited to be involved in our effort.

Let’s skip to action. On day two, 800 individuals met with more than 200 staffers and Congressmen, making it one of the largest lobbying groups for Africa. I started the day surrounded by mostly young students in suits, practicing their speeches. There was urgency in the air – the LRA and the Ugandan government had made significant steps toward peace just days before. The day suddenly became weighted and relevant.

(more…)

It does snow in Uganda…

Before leaving for Uganda in February, several of my co-workers in Minnesota had joked about the snow following me to Gulu. If they had to deal with it, how come I should be lucky enough to get away? I laughed and brushed it off as a silly comment – it would never snow in the middle of Uganda.

Yet after being here for just over a month now, I’ve been reminded that the perceptions we entertain about how a new experience will transpire or what a foreign place will be like aren’t always correct. Could it ever snow on Kampala Road? Will going to northern Uganda be scary? Will I succeed in the tasks I’m responsible for? Will there be enough toilet paper?

(more…)

Uganda Skateboard Union

Hopefully this video makes you as happy as it did us. The Skateboard Union is located in Kitintale, Uganda and is an organization we just found out about through the madness of what you’re about to witness. Don’t know much else. You can watch it by clicking on the next two words…
(more…)

The IC Soundtrack

Being asked which music is used in our videos is a common question at screenings, on MySpace, in emails, etc. In an attempt to quell all of that, we’ll start posting entries after media is released giving you all the information you could ask for regarding who sings what and where you can find out more about them.Earlier this week, the Tri video came out and the band in the background is The National, a rock band out of Brooklyn kicking off an international tour at the end of April. Fake Empire is the song and you can listen to it, along with more of their songs, by clicking here.

Havelock’s Night Commute

In North Carolina, students are hosting a night walk on Saturday night as a part of the Schools for Schools program. Every day, we’re asked how people can help out if they don’t have money to donate. Events like these, raising money and awareness, are exactly what you can do to affect lives in northern Uganda. Havelock High School’s IC supporters are asking for a $5 donation in their recreation of what it was like to be a Ugandan night commuter. Havelock News profiles the event in a recent article by Kim Smith.