{"id":423444,"date":"2026-02-11T19:01:46","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T01:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=423444"},"modified":"2026-02-18T19:35:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T01:35:57","slug":"cronkite-news-buddhist-monks-complete-long-journey-to-nations-capital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2026\/02\/11\/cronkite-news-buddhist-monks-complete-long-journey-to-nations-capital\/","title":{"rendered":"Cronkite News: Buddhist monks complete long journey to nation’s capital"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Buddhist<\/a>
A group of Buddhist monks who walked 2,300 miles from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., arrives February 10, 2026, at the Washington National Cathedral. Bhikkhu Pannakara, spiritual leader of the Walk for Peace, led the procession. Thousands of people gathered at the cathedral, where Pannakara spoke of peace and mindfulness. Photo by Alysa Horton \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n
Thousands greet Buddhist monks in DC after 2,300-mile Walk for Peace to promote mindfulness<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, February 11, 2026<\/div>\r\n
By Alysa Horton<\/div>\r\n
Cronkite News<\/DIV>\r\n
cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n

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WASHINGTON — After a 2,300-mile \u201cWalk for Peace\u201d a group of Buddhist monks arrived Tuesday at their final destination, drawing thousands of excited residents, students and tourists.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cWe are not walking from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., to bring you any peace,\u201d the group\u2019s spiritual leader, Bhikkhu Pannakara, told the throng outside the Washington National Cathedral, \u201cbut to raise the awareness of peace so that you can unlock that box and free it, let peace bloom and flourish among all of us, throughout this nation and the world.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

He led the thousands gathered before him on a chilly winter afternoon in a breathing meditation. And he counseled them to spend far less time on their phones.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

For those in the crowd, the moment was deeply moving.<\/p>\r\n

“I love that so many people participated. … It’s just incredible,” said Chris Albutz, 68, a retired teacher from Fredericksburg, Va.<\/p>\r\n

Nineteen monks started the pilgrimage in Fort Worth. During the 108-day trek, they battled ice, snow and harsh winds across eight states before finally crossing the Potomac River from Arlington, Virginia.<\/p>\r\n

They entered the capital during rush hour. Police on bicycles and motorcycles escorted them on the snowy streets of D.C., blocking cars temporarily as the monks passed.<\/p>\r\n

About three weeks into the walk, a car struck one of the monks<\/a> as they walked through a small city east of Houston<\/a>. Phra Ajarn Maha Dam Phommasan, a senior monk at a Georgia monastery, ended up losing a leg. He joined the group Tuesday in a wheelchair.<\/p>\r\n

The monks \u2013 and their dog, Aloka, the \u201cPeace Dog\u201d \u2013 averaged 20 to 23 miles per day, drawing millions of fans online who followed their progress on a Live Map<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\u00a0The dog, whose name means light, underwent a surgery for his leg in January but rejoined the group for the final stretch.<\/p>\r\n

He sat on a blanket at Pannakara\u2019s feet at American University\u2019s Bender Arena, the first stop in the city.<\/p>\r\n

Along the route, people held flowers or waved hand-drawn posters of praise.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Beverly Keane, 77, a tourist from Washington state, arrived at the arena hours earlier.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cOur country, we’re lost, and I believe the message that we’re lost because we’re living a \u2018multitasking life.\u2019 We’re so tuned into technology that we really lost the human aspect of ourselves,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Pannakara, who came up with the idea for the walk, hit that theme hard at AU. He warned students and others against getting overly attached to technology because \u201cour mind can only focus on one thing at a time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\u201cLive with this present moment, here and now,\u201d he said. \u201cThat is your job. That is your duty \u2013 bringing that mind back to this present moment with each and every breath going in and out. If you could do that, you will have a peaceful day.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Sarah Belson, 56, an American University education professor from Phoenix, said AU has \u201calways been really welcoming of lots of different backgrounds.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\u201cWe’re a home to civil disobedience and civil unrest in a really structured way,\u201d she said, adding that her students were \u201chappy to see somebody doing something. The action part of it is really compelling.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Belson said that her school, like others, \u201cneeded a little mindfulness and peacefulness.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Daisy Pulido, a 19-year-old first-year student from Fort Worth, kept up with the monks on social media as they made their way across the country.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI’ve seen them all over, on every platform,\u201d said Pulido, who is studying international studies and finance. \u201cI wanted to go see it myself. \u2026 It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.<\/p>\r\n

After the hour-long event at the arena, some attendees raced outside to watch the monks continue their journey. Many followed them on their mile and a half walk to the Washington National Cathedral for their next appearance.<\/p>\r\n

The gothic-style Episcopal cathedral has hosted state funerals for four presidents in the last century, plus funerals for vice presidents, Supreme Court justices and the first man to walk on the moon.<\/p>\r\n

For those on hand Tuesday, the monks\u2019 arrival was also historic.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI am so grateful for the mission and the purpose of these monks. For me this time of peace, for everyone, is very, very needed,\u201d said Albutz.<\/p>\r\n

After their appearance at AU, the crowd went to the Washington National Cathedral \u2013 where the monks continued their walk and words of wisdom to thousands more guests.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Yong Clark, 53, a professional flutist from Oakton, Virginia, was among the thousands at the cathedral. He said the monks’ journey was a reminder that \u201cthere are peaceful people around the world.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

It was \u201cgreat to see them come out of the woodwork and to support each other, regardless of color, creed, ethnicity,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n

The Fort Worth monks were joined by dozens of other monks at the cathedral.<\/p>\r\n

Pannakara said he never imagined how many people would be drawn to the movement.<\/p>\r\n

Kenneth Hudson, a 56-year-old business owner from Atlanta, said he first saw the monks in Snellville, Georgia, where he received a prayer bracelet from one of them.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been following the Buddhist philosophy ever since,\u201d Hudson said. \u201cEverything that they try to instill in each one of us is just peace, serenity, joy and happiness.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

On Wednesday, the monks will speak at the Lincoln Memorial.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

On Thursday, they will start their journey back to Fort Worth \u2013 by bus.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nFor more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A>.<\/STRONG>\r\n

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This article<\/a> first appeared on Cronkite News<\/a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n