VIDEO Spiritual March of the Year: Buddhist monks walk 3,200 km from Texas to Washington to 'heal America'
A group of Buddhist monks arrived at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC Credit line: Krista Kennell / Zuma Press / Profimedia
After 109 days of walking and 3,200 kilometers traveled from Texas, a group of Buddhist monks reached the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on Wednesday. The spiritual march, marked by extreme weather conditions and a tragic accident, was aimed at promoting peace and compassion, according to The Guardian.
The 19 monks and Aloka, a rescue dog from India, were greeted with flowers and applause at the end of their journey through the nine states. Although they braved the cold, and some even walked barefoot, the group managed to complete the “March for Peace”. They stated that their goal was to raise “public awareness of peace, kindness, and compassion in America and around the world.”
The monks came with a balm for America's wounds, writes The Guardian. The rally at the Lincoln Memorial was held under the slogan: “to heal the nation's wounds.”
About 100 monks and nuns joined the group in the capital. They stayed away from politics. However, there were people in the crowd with signs reading “Peaceful Resistance”.
Tencho Gyatso, the Dalai Lama's niece, read a letter: “Their commitment, including enduring physical hardships during a journey of more than 3,200 kilometers, attracted international attention.” The message says that this road helps to “sow the seeds of greater peace, understanding and compassion”.
“All humans are created human. Regardless of race, ethnicity or religion, we all celebrate peace,” said Brooklyn-based monk Bhikkhu Bodhi. He described the march as one of the most important events of the century and emphasized that the recognition of common humanity is a quality of the American character.
The road also had risks. In November, near Houston, a truck hit the escort car. Two monks were injured. Among them was Maha Dam Phommasan, the abbot of a temple in Georgia, who had a leg amputated. He addressed the crowd from a wheelchair.
“Peace is practiced step by step. In a time of division, that means fighting for the best in us,” Martin Luther King III, son of leader Martin Luther King Jr., wrote on the X platform.
