A 15-week 'Walk for Peace' concludes with Buddhist monks' arrival in Washington

[riversedge]

Source: kcrg.com



By TIFFANY STANLEY and DEEPA BHARATH


Published: Feb. 10, 2026 at 10:55 AM CST|Updated: 18 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of Buddhist monks reached Washington, D.C., on foot Tuesday, walking single file across a bridge over the Potomac River to cap a 15-week trek from Texas that has captivated the country.

The monks in their saffron robes have become fixtures on social media, along with their rescue dog Aloka. After spending Monday night at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, they crossed over the Chain Bridge into the District of Columbia shortly after 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

They walk to advocate for peace. That simple message has resonated across the U.S. as a welcome respite from conflict and political divisions. Thousands gathered along Southern roadsides — often in unusually chilly weather — to watch the monks’ quiet procession that began in late October.

“My hope is, when this walk ends, the people we met will continue practicing mindfulness and find peace,” said the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, the group’s soft-spoken leader who has taught about mindfulness at stops along the way.
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Read more: https://www.kcrg.com/2026/02/10/15-week-walk-peace-concludes-with-buddhist-monks-arrival-washington/

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Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace walk through a neighborhood on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)(Mark Schiefelbein | AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The group of Buddhist monks is set to reach Washington, D.C., on foot Tuesday. The monks in their saffron robes have become fixtures on social media, along with their rescue dog Aloka. n.pr/45WkCB4

— NPR (@npr.org) 2026-02-10T09:33:48.208649Z

LIVE: Monks on a Walk for Peace arrive in Washington, DC youtube.com/live/K6Or-Lx...

— Reuters (@reuters.com) 2026-02-10T13:35:35.778Z

[FalloutShelter]

1. I have loved watching this story and these beautiful monks.

I hope the Nobel Prize committee is watching.
This is what peaceful resistance and energy. This is what commitment to the ending of suffering looks like.

Sadhu.

[republianmushroom]

2. Cool

[pandr32]

3. Will the White House ignore them?

After all, they've been getting huge turn-out numbers. Some have reported feeling very emotional and crying when they see them.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

4. A friend of mine got a flower from them yesterday.

(Wish I could have gone with her!)

I've been following the monks on Instagram and have just been absolutely floored by the positive reception they've received everywhere that I've seen. I mean they walked through the friggin' bible belt and had loads of people greeting them all along the route and were taken great care of by police departments along the route. It's been truly uplifting.

[efhmc]

5. Wonderful but I worry for them.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

9. I know, I worried about them all along the way. There were some vehicular accidents and one monk lost his leg.

[Ray Bruns]

6. And MAGAs respond.

[hamsterjill]

7. This has truly been inspirational.

I can't believe it hasn't attracted more media coverage. Guess the US is more interested in publicizing hate as opposed to peace.

My hope for these monks is that they can complete their mission, get some rest and return home to re-energize. Same for Aloka. He's been amazing through all of this.

[twodogsbarking]

8. ICE has not attacked them? Will we even know?