After 108 days (about 15 weeks) and roughly 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometres) on foot, a group of Theravada Buddhist monks arrived in Washington, D.C., this week to conclude a nationwide “Walk for Peace.” Read a firsthand account of the journey that moved crowds along the route.
Nineteen monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, set out in late October 2025. Traveling with their rescue dog Aloka, they practiced Vipassana and loving‑kindness on the road, often covering about 20 miles a day and following austere routines (including sometimes eating one meal a day) as part of their witness.
Their slow, silent procession drew thousands along Southern roadsides, packed indoor venues and wide online attention. Crowds—from small towns to university arenas and cathedral gatherings—kept respectful silence as the monks passed, and many described the walk as a unifying, calming presence across political and cultural divides.
The trek faced serious hardships: in November an escort vehicle was struck, two monks were injured and Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan underwent a leg amputation yet later rejoined the group in a wheelchair. Local authorities provided escorts and rolling road closures to protect the walkers. The monks stress that the walk is a spiritual offering—not a political campaign—even as they plan to submit a request to recognize Vesak as a national holiday; the 108‑day completion also carries sacred meaning in several traditions.
