In brief
After beginning their trek from Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, about two dozen Buddhist monks reached Georgia on their way to Washington, D.C., promoting peace and compassion. Their journey has gained attention on social media, with over 400,000 followers sharing their progress. Tragically, two monks were injured when their escort vehicle was hit by a truck, but they remain committed to their mission. The monks aim to inspire kindness and understanding in a world increasingly in need of compassion.
ATLANTA (AP) – A group of Buddhist monks continues their walking trek across much of the U.S. to promote peace, even after two of its members were injured when a truck hit their escort vehicle.
After starting their walk in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, the group of about two dozen monks has made it to Georgia as they continue on a path to Washington, D.C., highlighting Buddhism’s long tradition of activism for peace.
The group planned to walk its latest segment through Georgia, starting from the town of Morrow to Decatur, on the eastern edge of Atlanta. Marking day 66 of the walk, they invited the public to a Peace Gathering in Decatur.
The monks, alongside their loyal dog Aloka, are traversing ten states on their journey. In the coming days, they'll pass through major cities such as Athens, Georgia; Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh in North Carolina; and Richmond, Virginia.
Boasting a following of over 400,000 on social media, the group updates their progress daily. Aloka, whose name means 'enlightenment', has become a social media star himself, trending under the hashtag #AlokathePeaceDog.
The trek hasn’t been without dangers. Last month near Dayton, Texas, their escort vehicle, which was displaying hazard lights, was struck by a truck while the monks were walking alongside it. This resulted in serious injuries for one monk, who was subsequently airlifted to a hospital, while another sustained minor injuries.
The monks emphasized their shared mission, stating, 'We do not walk alone. We walk together with every person whose heart has opened to peace, whose spirit has chosen kindness, whose daily life has become a garden where understanding grows.' Their journey is not just a physical walk but a symbolic climb towards raising awareness on issues of kindness and non-violence.
Their trek serves to inspire the concept of peace activism rooted in the teachings of Buddhism, a philosophy that strives to nurture compassion for all beings, rooted in the core tenets laid out by Gautama Buddha over two millennia ago.
