Buddhist Monks Complete 2,300-Mile Walk for Peace in D.C.

For nearly four months, 19 Buddhist monks walked across America with a simple message: peace isn't something we need to find, it's already within us.

Their journey began in Fort Worth, Texas last October and ended 2,300 miles later in Washington D.C. this week. They even brought along their beloved dog, Aloka, for the entire trek.

The monks' first stop in the nation's capital was the Washington National Cathedral, where local interfaith leaders gathered to welcome them. Rev. Mariann Budde and The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith hosted a service that was livestreamed to thousands.

"We are honored to welcome these ambassadors for peace who have traveled so far to be with us," Hollerith told the crowd gathered from multiple faith traditions across the D.C. area.

Rev. Budde led the group in a prayer for peace, asking that they become "instruments of your peace" in places of hatred, injury, and discord. She's the first female Episcopal bishop of Washington and has championed human rights throughout her leadership since 2011.

Many remember her viral sermon during President Trump's 2025 inauguration, when she pleaded with the newly sworn-in president to "have mercy" on immigrants and LGBTQ+ Americans. "There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives," she said at the time.

Why This Inspires

Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, who led the Walk for Peace, shared a powerful message with those gathered at the cathedral. Peace isn't something the monks brought to America, he explained. It's something already locked inside each person's heart.

"We cannot find it," he said. "It's been with us. It never left us. It's just that we cannot see it."

The walk was designed to help Americans remember that peace and unlock it in their own lives. After inviting everyone to place a hand on their heart and breathe deeply, Pannakara reminded the crowd that when we free peace within ourselves, it can "bloom and flourish among all of us, throughout this nation and the world."

Inside the cathedral, Rev. Budde thanked the monks for their dedication. "Thank you for gracing us with the power of your message and your teachings," she said.

The monks later reflected that being "received with such grace, generosity, and open hearts in this sacred space meant everything to us."

In a divided time, 19 people walked halfway across a country to remind everyone that peace begins within.