“The Walk for Peace is a simple yet meaningful reminder that unity and kindness begins within each of us and can radiate outward to families, communities, and society as a whole”
“We walk not to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us.”
“We walk not to bring you peace, but to remind you it never left—it’s been there through every storm, every heartbreak, every lonely night, waiting with infinite patience for you to notice it again. May our footsteps help you turn inward and find it. And may that discovery be a sunrise after the longest night, dispelling shadows you thought were permanent and filling your whole being with radiant wellness, with comfort, with belonging.”
This is the message carried across America through twenty-three thousand miles by Bhikkhu Pannakara, a Buddhist monk leading a group of around 20 monks accompanied by Aloka (Light in pali language), the Peace Dog.
Starting their peace walk on October 26th, 2025, the group left Fort Worth, Texas, for a barefoot 4-month journey to Washington D.C., carrying nothing but bowls. There, they want to ask for the recognition of Buddha’s day of birth as a federal holiday. They walk in silence, they are not protesting, but sharing a powerful teaching on peace, its nature and how to achieve it.
Among their routine: walking up to 8 or 10 hours a day, one simple meal, an evening meditation, and sleeping on mats, church floors, community centers, and sometimes under trees. Their silence has made a lot of noise, and they have been joined on their journey by supporters to coordinate stops, keep them safe, help communities meet them, people offering food, places to sleep, and basic support along the route. Strangers walk to them and place food in their bowls, as a gesture and millions of Americans are actually following them, watching them, walking with them, feeding them regardless of their political opinions, race, class, age, etiquettes, faith or religion. Their walk for peace is triggering and spreading generosity, compassion, unity and kindness to the country.
In a time of strong division when everyone is used to being outraged, to arguing or to being even forced to pick a side, this silent walk is a powerful teaching on attention, restraint and presence. They not only teach us but show us that changing how we react matters more than changing what happens and that we can transform the world by nurturing inner peace within ourselves. That is why it is more than a walk. This is a living teaching on the very nature of peace, compassion and unity and how to achieve it. And as a nonstandard avenue to achieve peace in a context of strong division, that is precisely why this deserves more attention
“May you and all beings be well, happy and at peace!”
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