Around 600 archbishops and bishops from across the worldwide Anglican Communion, and their spouses, intend the demonstration to be a high-profile call on global leaders to keep their promises to deliver the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015.

The walk of solidarity through the capital on Thursday, July 24 – led by a banner calling on world leaders to Keep the promise – Halve poverty by 2015 – will conclude with a rally at Lambeth Palace, the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, said: "Faith leaders and our communities are active across the world as advocates for the poor and vulnerable in our midst. Faith groups often have the best service delivery networks in the very places which the international agencies find hardest to reach."

"This walk will be a poignant public act of commitment by the Anglican Communion and other faith groups to continue to put pressure on those who have the power and resources to help end extreme poverty across the globe."

The bishops will walk through the heart of the capital – passing the Houses of Parliament – in a demonstration of the diversity of the Anglican Communion and work already being conducted by churches and other faith groups to support the MDGs.