A central event was the lighting of a symbolic torch at the United Nations by Omar Khalifa, a champion Sudanese 1500m runner, to signal the start of the 10K races around the world.
Khalifa then ran through 12 European capitals, and was greeted by leaders such as Margaret Thatcher, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, François Mitterrand, Helmut Kohl and Pope John Paul II.
[2] The events in the United States were not widely publicized, due in part to the Hands Across America fundraiser, to fight hunger and homelessness, occurring around the same time.
[1] At 15:00 UTC on Sunday, May 25, 1986, runners around the world ran, jogged or walked 10 kilometers, having collected sponsorships or donations to support African famine relief charities.
The New York Times reported, "With 200,000 Londoners setting the pace, more than 20 million runners in 76 countries ran today in Sport Aid, a global benefit to raise money for the starving of Africa.
[4] On Sunday, September 11 1988, runners around the world in 300 cities [4] ran, jogged, or walked 5 kilometers, having collected sponsorships or donations to CARE to support African famine relief charities.