Monks on cross-country walk for peace expected in Raleigh this January
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Monks will walk 2,300 miles from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., passing Raleigh.
- Group documents 120-day journey on Facebook; live map updates hourly on website.
- Local officials plan official welcomes; local groups and crowds expected to support.
A group of Buddhist monks walking from Texas to Washington, D.C., for peace will travel through Raleigh and other parts of North Carolina in January.
The group is documenting its 120-day journey on Facebook, sharing videos, photos and quotes to inspire and “raise awareness of peace, loving kindness and compassion across America and the world.”
They typically draw large crowds seeking to pray, witness or support their journey.
“Today is going to be our peaceful day — a day where we walk together, not just with our feet on the ground, but with our hearts open and our minds awake to each precious moment,” the monks posted on New Year’s Eve. “Let us walk together, step by step, breath by breath, carrying peace within us and offering it gently to everyone we meet along the way, knowing that every mindful step we take becomes a blessing for the world.”
They update a live map showing their location hourly and have an overview map showing their future stops. On Jan. 9, the monks were starting in Leesville, South Carolina, en route to Lexington, S.C.
That overview map shows Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, though the exact route is not included. The monks are expected to arrive in North Carolina between Jan. 10 and Jan. 20, arriving in the Triangle between Jan. 20 and Jan. 30.
The route also includes Siler City and Pittsboro before making its way into western Wake County. The North Carolina Zen Center, a Zen Buddhist community and retreat center, is located near Pittsboro.
“In a world with so much violence, a peace march is welcome,” said Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell. “Also appreciate the Buddhist interfaith aspect and learning what representatives of one of the world’s greatest faith traditions have to impart related to current events.”
She and other council members have communicated with local organizations about the peace walk and plan to officially welcome the monks in some way.
The walk began with 19 Buddhist monks leaving Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth , Texas, on Oct. 26.
They are also joined by Aloka, a dog found by Bhikkhu Pannakara, vice president of the center and spiritual leader of the walk, during a peace walk in India, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
Aloka the Peace Dog has its own social media following on Instagram and has become part of the monks’ journey.
“I ask for your permission to lead this journey,” Pannakara said, sitting before a statue of Lord Buddha, according to the Star-Telegram. “In this journey, we have two senior monks — one from Laos who is 70 years old — and monks from Taiwan and Vietnam. Wherever we go, monks from that location will join us for two to three days,” he said.
See how to support the monks on the center’s website: dhammacetiya.com/walk-for-peace/.
This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 8:00 AM.
