LSU’s official Invisible Children Campaign will host a screening of the latest Invisible Children’s documentary, “Together We Are Free,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry.The new film follows “The Rescue,” an international event that took place April 25, when more than 85,000 activists gathered in 100 cities in 10 countries to “abduct” themselves and march to pre-determined locations to wait to be “rescued” by politicians or public figures to raise awareness for child soldiers in Northern Uganda.The film shows the beginnings of “The Rescue,” from the planning stages and the gathering of people to the end when each city was rescued, drawing attention from media outlets worldwide.Desiree Watkins, University’s Invisible Children chapter vice president, planned the Baton Rouge “Rescue” last spring, when more than 250 people gathered at the Parade Ground and marched to the Capitol before being rescued by a representative from Sen. Mary Landrieu’s office. “The new documentary really shows that anyone can be involved,” Watkins said. “The film is trying to tell you that no matter how old you are or where you are from, you can make an impact. You don’t need a college degree.”The University’s chapter of Invisible Children began in fall 2008 as a local section of the larger nonprofit organization to help gain support around the University and Baton Rouge through fundraising and screenings of the Invisible Children documentaries.The national Invisible Children, Inc. group works to promote awareness and raise financial resources for humanitarian work in Uganda where a 23-year war between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda has displaced close to 1.8 million people.One of the main points Invisible Children has tried to highlight since it began in 2003 is the abduction and forcing of more than 10,000 children into combat since the war began in 1986, said Matthew Bruce, president of the University’s Invisible Children chapter.”‘The Rescue’ was designed to show that people stand in solidarity with these children,” said Bruce, horticulture senior. “It is a really youth-driven movement and a lot of college-age people stand behind the organization. This event was a way to tell the politicians and the people in charge that ‘Hey, something needs to be done.'”Bruce said Invisible Children is now seeking signatures for a petition that will ask President Obama for an official statement on the situation in Uganda. The petition will also be available to sign after the screening Thursday.”Something needs to happen soon,” said Wallis Watkins, general studies freshman. “But it needs to go through the right channels, so that the policy makers and those with real power can do the right thing.”Follow Jake Clapp on Twitter @TDR_jclapp 
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