Walk for Peace monks alter Virginia route as they near Washington, DC

A route change reshapes the Walk for Peace through Virginia, as Buddhist monks adjust their path toward the nation’s capital.

A group of Buddhist monks on a Walk for Peace from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, DC, is nearing the end of a 2,300-mile journey. 

For over 100 days, the men have traversed a large swath of the southeast, walking through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. On Jan. 28, they made their way into Virginia near Gasburg and are currently continuing on their path north.

While the original plan had the group traveling through Manassas, a recent change on the overview map shows that the monks will instead walk through or near Woodbridge, Fort Belvoir, and Arlington on the journey to the nation’s capital.

This isn’t the first time the monks needed to shift course or alter their schedule. While still in Texas, a traffic collision occurred when a truck struck the escort vehicle following behind the walkers. One of the monks, Maha Dam Phommasan, sustained injuries from the incident and underwent a leg amputation. 

Another timeline change occurred in Georgia, when the group opted to bypass Augusta to head toward Columbia, South Carolina. They also shifted a few originally planned stops in Upstate South Carolina, including Abbeville and Laurens, on their way to Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Throughout their journey, the monks walked directly through every state’s capital, including Richmond on Day 100. While in the River City, Gov. Abigail Spanberger greeted the group and issued her first proclamation, declaring Feb. 2 as Walk for Peace Day in Virginia. 

As the walk continues, the group posts daily location updates on a live map. 

Sometimes, the monks choose to host speaking events and visiting hours at their lunchtime or nighttime stops. If so, the official Walk for Peace page on Facebook will post necessary event information.

Today, Feb. 3, the group plans to speak at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland starting at 6 p.m. 

Tomorrow, the monks will continue on their route to Washington. As of publication, the journey will pass through or near these Virginia locations:

• Ladysmith (Estimated arrival: Feb. 4)
• Fredericksburg (Estimated arrival: Feb. 5)
• Stafford (Estimated arrival: Feb. 6)
• Arlington (Estimated arrival: Feb. 10)

Once in Washington, the monks plan to ask Congress to recognize Vesak (Buddha Day) as a federal holiday. 

The Washington, DC, schedule:

• Feb. 10: The monks will visit the Washington National Cathedral
• Feb. 11: The monks will host a meditation retreat in the afternoon and evening
• Feb. 12: The monks will leave DC by bus, traveling back to Texas

“We will have more events throughout February 10 and 11, from morning to evening, creating beautiful opportunities for everyone to gather and celebrate peace together,” the Walk for Peace page posted.

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