The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu will host Ugandan war survivor Papito Francis as he presents Invisible Children’s 24-minute viral video, KONY 2012 on March 23, at UH West Oʻahu E-105. The video tells the brutal tale of atrocities perpetrated by notorious war lord Joseph Kony of Uganda and his rebel force, the Lord’s Resistance Army. The event is free and open to the public and will be followed by a discussion with Francis.
Born into the conflict in Northern Uganda, at a young age, Francis watched as his father was killed and his sister was abducted. He managed to escape the violence and became one of Invisible Children’s Legacy Scholarship beneficiaries, recently graduating from secondary school with plans to attend law school in the future.
KONY 2012 recently became a social media sensation, receiving more than 70 million views on YouTube, and has also been covered by major news networks including CNN and National Public Radio. Invisible Children came under fire for the portrayal of Joseph Kony and the organization’s motives for the video release and publicity campaign.
Invisible Children is a non-profit organization that uses film, creativity and social action to end the use of child soldiers in Kony’s rebel war and restore LRA-affected communities in Central Africa to peace and prosperity.
The KONY 2012 event screening is organized by UH West Oʻahu Lecturer Joshua Cooper as part of the university’s politics and film course. Invisible Children representatives recently spoke to the class about the atrocities happening in Central Africa for more than 26 years.
