On October 26th of 2025, a group of Buddhist monks began a 2,300 mile “Walk for Peace” across the nation. They planned to march from Texas to Washington DC, through a total of 10 states and over 120 days. As of February 2026, they have finished their journey. Nineteen monks and a dog joined the walk, with all but one monk completing it.
Starting from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana center, a Buddhist Temple situated in Fort Worth, Texas, the group marched to Washington DC to promote “awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world.” Headed by Bhikkhu Pannakara, the group’s spiritual leader, they walked through Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, making sure to stop at various landmarks in each state to share their message and connect with the people. This included the Lincoln memorial in DC, the North Carolina State Capitol in North Carolina, and the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama.
Originally, the group was made up of 19 monks and a dog. However, on the road in Dayton, Texas, two of the monks were struck by a pickup truck that hit their pilot car, which had been trailing behind the group. Bhante Dam Phommasan and another monk were struck, but Bhante Dam Phommasan was critically injured and had to undergo surgery to amputate his leg. He was unable to finish the walk but claimed he had “no [regrets]” about attending.
Lovingly named the “Peace Dog,” Aloka has earned national recognition for following alongside the monks. He was a stray Indian Pariah dog that joined the group in India during a different peace walk. Aloka has been described to “[take] his job seriously,” walking alongside the monks and watching carefully from their trailing car whenever he needed a break. Unfortunately, in January, Aloka was observed to be limping and had to take a short hiatus in South Carolina for knee surgery. He recovered quickly and went on to join the monks on the last stretch of land to Washington DC, albeit following in their safety car.
