Buddhist monks pass halfway mark on 2,300-mile Walk for Peace through US
North Carolina
Despite injuries, walkers and pet dog continue trek to promote ‘peace, loving kindness and compassion’ in the US
Adam Gabbatt
Sat 17 Jan 2026 09.00 EST
A group of Buddhist monks has passed the halfway mark on a 2,300-mile Walk for Peace, as they seek to raise awareness of “peace, loving kindness and compassion” in the US and the world.
The 18 monks, two of whom are following a Buddhist practice of never lying down during the three-month journey, were in North Carolina on Saturday, their 83rd day on the road. Led by the Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākāra, who is conducting the walk barefoot, they have already overcome a serious injury to one member of the group as they head towards Washington DC.
The monks set off on 26 October from a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Fort Worth, Texas, before passing through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The monks stop at the capitol of each state they pass through, frequently drawing crowds of thousands of people, while their social media has attracted more than a million followers. When they arrive in Washington DC they will ask Congress to recognize Vesak, the Buddha’s day of birth and enlightenment, as a federal holiday.
“We are planning to go to Washington DC, because Washington DC is the heart of the nation. By reaching to the heart of the nation, we believe that we can reach to the heart of all Americans across the United States, and by being able to deliver the peace message from there, we think that we can reach to all these American people across the United States,” said Neeraj Bajracharya, government liaison and press coordinator for the walk.
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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/17/buddhist-monks-walk-for-peace
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