Beatbullying’s global virtual march takes place today with more than 1 million participants from 190 different countries marching across websites.

The Big March 2012 started at 8am today with avatars marching across the bottom of the screen of partner websites. The march will arrive on different partner websites at different times throughout the day.

It will end at 8pm this evening at a virtual representation of the UN building in New York, where the campaign will ask for a statement against bullying to be added to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UN secretary general, Ban Ki Moon will also be handed a petition in person. 

There are 44 charities from around the world taking part including, Nominet Trust, PEAS (Africa), Parentline (Australia), Child World Cancer, Diabetes UK, Children England, Stonewall, SafeKidZone (USA), GirlGuiding UK and the Irish National.

Corporate partners taking part include Facebook, Clarks, Universal Music, Robinson Fruitshoot and Disney and celebrities taking part include Stephen Fry, Aston Merrygold and Pixie Lott.

Of the organisations involved in the march 20 per cent based in the UK with the remaining 80 per cent spread around the world.

Beatbullying was recently awarded a £1.3m grant from the Social Action Fund to launch We’re Altogether Better, a digital, social action not for profit that will expand on the Beatbullying concept for broader issues.