A group of Buddhist monks ended their 15-week journey from Texas to Washington D.C. with a ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Lincoln Memorial, where thousands of online followers gathered to hear them speak.
The 19 monks walked 2,300 miles across several Southern states and drew large crowds in churchyards, city halls and town squares. The group, led by the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara and his dog, Aloka, captured hearts across the nation with their message of peace, and earned them millions of followers on social media platforms, like TikTok.
On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Pannakara urged everyone to practice mindfulness and to always choose kindness, compassion, love, harmony and hope.
“The Walk for Peace is not a protest,” he said. “It’s a reminder that hope still exists when people are willing to care. Hope is the final light that must never go out.”
As the monks finished their final steps, they were followed by about 100 other monks and nuns who joined them in Washington. Behind them was a sea of people who marched silently, some carrying peace signs.
More than 21,00 people followed the livestream online from around the globe. Many posted messages in foreign languages to share their encouragement for the monks.
Tencho Gyatso, niece of the 14th Dalai Lama and president of the International Campaign for Tibet, read a message from the 90-year-old monk.
“Their initiative illustrates how religious practitioners can contribute in a constructive way to social harmony and public dialogue,” the Dalai Lama said in the statement.
The monks were greeted by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jefferies and Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as they neared the Peace Monument on Capitol Hill.
The walk did not go without its challenges. In November, two monks were injured when their escort vehicle was hit by a truck along a highway outside Houston. Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan has his leg amputated. Phommasan rejoined the monks near Washington in a wheelchair to finish their walk to the Capitol.
Pannakara gave Phommasan the floor before he spoke during Wednesday’s closing ceremony. He told the crowd he was feeling cold, “but you are making my heart warm.” He said practicing mindfulness made him accept the difficult moments after the accident.
Peace walks are a cherished tradition in Theravada Buddhism. Some of the monks have walked barefoot or in socks during part of the journey to feel the ground directly and be present in the moment.
Their return trip will not be as harsh. A bus will take them back to Texas, where they expect to arrive in downtown Fort Worth as soon as Saturday. From there, the monks will walk together again, traversing 6 miles to the temple where their trip began.
