Round the world cyclist gives talk for One World Week
A cyclist who spent four years cycling around the world is to speak during One World Week, which aims to celebrate global diversity on campus.
Alastair Humphreys left England on his marathon journey in August 2001. After more than 1,500 days and 46,000 miles spanning five continents and 60 countries, Alastair arrived back home in November 2005. His journey took him from the deserts of Sudan to a Siberian winter, from Albania to Zimbabwe and from the Dead Sea across to the Andes.
As well as being a pure quest for adventure, his epic journey also helped to raise the profile of the charity Hope and Homes for Children.
The explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes described Alastair's expedition as the first great adventure of the new Millennium.
He said: “In today’s world of dashing up Everest in less than a day, sailing round the world in ten weeks, and best-selling books about three month motorbike rides, Alastair’s journey stands out as amazing.
“Alastair’s journey was an old-fashioned expedition: long, lonely, low-budget and spontaneous. It was a life on the road rather than a whirlwind break from home."
Alastair will give a free talk on March 14 at 6pm in Furness Lecture Theatre Two.
The talk is part of a programme of student-led events on campus for One World Week from March 12 to 16. The week’s themes include climate change, diversity, social justice and Fairtrade.
Other speakers include Leo Hickman, who reports on ethical living for The Guardian, and Jason Torrence from Transport 2000.
Events on campus include rickshaw rides for charity, a demonstration of a bio car, an unfair basketball game at the sports centre to illustrate the gap between rich and poor countries, a campus clean-up attended by the Vice-Chancellor Prof Paul Wellings, a Fairtrade tea party and a charity fashion show.