This stunt is not really about running, nor how far or fast I can run. The running is a metaphor to highlight the marathon effort required for building bridges to open a global conversation about the next steps needed to improve the delivery of child survival. This stunt culminates in a series of Design Forum commencing in February 2015 that echo the words of Bill Gates: “I’m convinced that getting our brightest minds to focus on our biggest problems will save lives and make the world a better place.”

The first leg took place in Port Moresby on 16 September 2014 which was Independence Day for Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is an amazing country for all of its beauty and diversity, and it is troubling to think it is unlikely to meet any of the Millennium Development Goals by the end of 2015.

The second run was in Sydney where I ran 20 laps across an iconic landmark, the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The third leg took place in Singapore where I ran the breadth of the island from north to south, bridge to bridge starting at the Causeway and ending on Sentosa Island.

The fourth leg was in Osaka, historically known as the city of 808 bridges.

Last week I ran across New Delhi for the fifth leg, the capital of a country that accounts for more child mortality than any other country. Despite steady progress, India is anticipated to fall short of meeting the Millennium Development Goal for reducing child mortality before the end of 2015.

I recently completed the sixth leg in China, running in the coastal city of Shanhaigeun which is where the Great Wall meets the ocean. The Bohai Sea into which the Great Wall protrudes is today a bridge to the world and the future, as it is reported as the busiest sea lane on the globe. This section of the Great Wall was also destroyed by occupying military forces in 1900, showing how history and political situation are needed to be considered in building a bridge to a productive future.

Ahead of me are four runs in four critical cities for the intellectual engagement of this idea: Seoul, Glasgow, Toronto, and finally New York.