The proverbial olive branch can come in many forms. Sometimes all it takes is a few sincere words. Other times it requires a complex nuclear deal that takes weeks to finalize and months to approve. The point is that making peace is a difficult thing, even for a day, but Burger King is determined to try.

In a publicity stunt connected to a nonprofit called Peace One Day, Burger King has requested a temporary truce with long-time rival McDonald’s through a series of full-page ads in the New York Times and Chicago Tribune. In these ads, Burger King suggests that the two join forces in order to combine their best-selling sandwiches and create the ultimate burger–the McWhopper.

If McDonald’s accepts this greasy olive branch, the two fast food chains will send employees to operate one joint restaurant equidistant from their respective headquarters on International Peace Day. At this still undisclosed location, the restaurant will sell the McWhopper for a single day. After the sun sets, the franchises will part ways once more and resume their endless feud.

In the event that McDonald’s does accept, we have to consider the possible ramifications of this collaboration. Can such a sandwich be forged? Might a food product created by the two leading artery busters in the world be too powerful, too pure for the American palate? Is the McWhopper destined to become a testament of mankind’s arrogance, another set of wax wings that will melt and cause flightless restaurant-goers to plummet into the ocean and drown in their own gluttony?

Well it’s in the name of world peace, so who are we to complain about fried spawn of a clown and a king?

UPDATE

McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook responded to Burger King via Facebook. “We love the intention but think our two brands could do something bigger to make a difference,” Easterbrook said.

Translation: We think your publicity stunt is dumb. Sorry for making all the ads and commercials you bought to sell this stunt a waste of time and money.

Ouch. Perhaps peace on Earth is a bit more out of reach than we thought.