why are the monks walking to dc

The monks are walking to Washington, D.C. as part of a 2,300‑mile “Walk for Peace” meant to promote peace, compassion, healing, and unity across the country, not as a political protest.

What is this walk?

• A group of Buddhist monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, began a months‑long pilgrimage on foot in late October.

• The route is about 2,300 miles and is scheduled to end in Washington, D.C. in mid‑February 2026.

• They call it a “Walk for Peace” and describe it as a spiritual practice, not a demonstration.

Why are they walking to DC?

• Their stated purpose is to promote peace, compassion, mindfulness, healing, unity, and kindness in a time of division and conflict.

• They say they want to support a “suffering society” and encourage people to change their mindset toward harmony and nonviolence.

• The group also plans, once in D.C., to ask Congress to recognize Vesak (Buddha’s birthday and enlightenment day) as a federal holiday and to hold public moments of reflection and prayer.

What are they actually doing on the journey?

• They typically walk about 20 miles a day, crossing multiple states from Texas through the South and up into Virginia and the D.C. region.

• They follow traditional monastic practices: eating one meal a day, often sleeping outdoors under trees, and relying on donations and local goodwill.

• Along the way, people join them for short stretches, bring food, and receive simple wrist blessing strings from the monks as a sign of goodwill.

What happens when they reach DC?

• By the time they arrive, they will have walked roughly the equivalent of 88 marathons.

• Plans include a stop at Washington National Cathedral for a public prayer gathering and reflection, plus other events such as a lunch with local monks and nuns and a meditation retreat.

• They are expected to end the Walk for Peace at or near the U.S. Capitol with a brief message focused on healing and unity, not partisan politics.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.