A small group of Buddhist monks affiliated with the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, is currently undertaking a long-distance pilgrimage known as the Walk for Peace, traveling on foot from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C. The walk began on October 26, 2025, and organizers have stated the journey will cover approximately 2,300 miles, with an anticipated arrival in the nation’s capital in February 2026.
Since departing North Texas, the monks have been documented walking through Louisiana, entering Mississippi in early December, and continuing eastward into Alabama. Their presence has been confirmed by multiple local newsrooms and by residents who have encountered them along highways, city streets, and town corridors. As with most long walking pilgrimages, the precise daily route shifts based on weather, road conditions, and rest needs, but the overall direction remains east toward Washington, D.C.
The purpose of the walk, as consistently stated by the monks and the temple supporting the effort, is to promote peace, compassion, unity, and loving-kindness. It is not organized as a protest or political demonstration. Instead, the walk is intended as a living practice of mindfulness and a reminder of shared humanity, carried out slowly and visibly through everyday communities rather than through formal events or rallies.
What has drawn widespread attention is not only the scale of the journey, but the response from the public. Across multiple states, people have paused to watch the monks pass, offered water or food, or shared brief moments of conversation. These interactions are not scheduled or solicited, but arise organically as the monks move through populated areas. Many of the exchanges are quiet and short, shaped by the monks’ steady pace and their emphasis on presence rather than performance.
The monks follow traditional monastic discipline during the walk. They travel with very few possessions and maintain a routine rooted in simplicity and restraint. Consistent with Buddhist monastic practice, they do not ask for food, money, or supplies. Offerings, when given, are meant to be voluntary. This custom is central to the walk itself, reinforcing the idea that generosity and compassion are acts of choice rather than obligation.
For those who encounter the monks and wish to show support, respectful engagement is straightforward. Offering sealed water, fruit, or simple prepared food aligns with what has been accepted along the route. Approaching calmly, without expectation or spectacle, allows the moment to remain grounded and respectful. Safety is also essential, particularly when encounters happen near roadways.
The journey has included moments of difficulty. In November, while still in Texas, the group was involved in a traffic incident near Dayton, resulting in severe injuries to two monks. After medical care, the walk resumed. That incident shows both the physical risks of such a pilgrimage and the determination behind continuing it.
As the monks proceed toward the East Coast, the walk remains a developing story, shaped by distance, time, and the communities they pass through. The intention has remained consistent since the first step in Fort Worth: to carry a message of peace through presence, discipline, and quiet endurance.
