TAVISTOCK man Maxim Laithwaite will be walking 1,200 miles through the UK and Ireland to raise awareness for International Peace Day, departing on June 21.

Starting at the opening concert of the London 2012 festival in Derry/Londonderry, Maxim will walk through each of the five capital cities, finishing at Wembley Arena on September 21 for the Peace One Day concert.

This concert will mark the United Nation's International Day of Peace, the day that will see the largest reduction in violence and the largest gathering of people in the name of peace.

The walk is also, in part, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the epic 8,000-mile walk that Satish Kumar began in 1962. Like Satish, Maxim will be walking without money, and will rely on the kindness of strangers for food and shelter.

Maxim Laithwaite, 32, told the Times: 'I am not worried about being stranded with no food or shelter because I believe deep down that humans look after one another.

'The success of the 1,200-mile walk relies on the same human spirit that will make International Peace Day and Global Truce 2012 a success.'

Maxim aims to encourage everyone he can to be part of the Peace One Day's Global Truce 2012. He will do this through talking with individuals and groups along the route about how they can get involved, and suggests that any other interested parties should get in touch to arrange some form of participation.

The Peace One Day organisation was founded by Jeremy Gilley, and was responsible for making September 21 International Peace Day through the United Nations. In Afghanistan in 2007, Jeremy and team managed to create a ceasefire, allowing health workers to vaccinate more than 1.5-million children against polio.

Maxim believes that uniting the world in a global truce will be a step closer to making world peace a reality.

On Saturday May 26, a launch event will be held at the Wharf at 7pm, including talks from Maxim, Satish Kumar and Jeremy Gilley. Admittance will be £5 which will be donated towards the cause.