On Sunday 12 June, more than 200,000 people are expected to walk five kilometers - a little over 3 miles - in over 200 participating cities, according to the WFP, which is joining with TNT, a provider of mail, express and logistics services, to sponsor the event.

“Walk the World” will benefit WFP’s global school feeding project, which last year provided one meal a day to 16.6 million primary school children in 72 countries and aims to reach 50 million in 2007, according to the agency. It says that lack of food is a major deterrent to education for needy children, especially girls.

“In a world where war and disaster spawn countless human tragedies which compete for attention, the silent plight of the hungry - especially children, the world’s future – is an urgent call we must all answer,” said James Morris, WFP Executive Director. “This walk is as important as it is inspiring to our mission to end hunger.”

The agency is inviting people everywhere to join the event and “show how one collective footstep can transform the lives of the world’s poorest children.” There is a “virtual walk” on the “Walk the World” site: each time someone visits it for the first time, enters their email and clicks, TNT donates 19 US cents – which feeds one child for one day.