Invisible Children's '25' Campaign Mobilizes 100,000 Young People to Stay Silent for 25 Hours; Featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show"

Invisible Children's filmmakers were featured on the April 20th episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" with their friend and film director Tom Shadyac.

SAN DIEGO, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Invisible Children launched an ambitious national campaign earlier this year, '25', which ends this Monday, April 25th. With an appearance on an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," '25' is on track to raise close to $1.5 million for projects aimed at protecting people affected by a 25-year-long war in central Africa.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110421/DC87256 )

The campaign has the pledged commitment of nearly 100,000 people across the U.S. to "speak out without speaking" and remain silent for 25 hours in recognition of the 25th year of Africa's longest running war, and the victims who have gone unheard. Participants also pledged to raise money for Invisible Children's work, with over $600,000 currently raised.

This nationwide movement gained the attention of Oprah Winfrey when she invited Invisible Children's founders onto her iconic television program on April 20th. The appearance is the final segment in an episode highlighting film director Tom Shadyac. Oprah discussed the organization's ability to activate the youth of America to "do more than just watch," highlighting the innovative campaigning of '25.'

At the end of the pledged 25 hours of silence, participants will gather in 18 cities across the United States for "Break the Silence" -- a multimedia event featuring exclusive videos and musical performances by local and national artists who have volunteered to collaborate with Invisible Children. Headlining groups include Rogue Wave, Peter Pisano of Peter Wolf Crier, Faces on Film, Plain White T's, and American Idol's David Archuleta.

A live video feed of select performances will allow participants who are not able to attend in person to connect with the thousands of others who will be simultaneously breaking the silence across the country.

The '25' campaign, which launched mid-February, asks participants to commit to raising $25 for Invisible Children's Protection Plan before their 25 hours of silence. The Protection Plan will build the region's first rehabilitation center, implement an early warning security network, and support our international campaign to arrest Joseph Kony, rescue his child soldiers, and bring peace after 25 years of war.

For more information visit, www.invisiblechildren.com and www.twitter.com/invisible.

Contact: Bridgette Bugay
619.562.2799 (ext. 119)
[email protected]

SOURCE Invisible Children