Buddhist monks on 2,300-mile Walk for Peace expected to pass through Alexandria
Group of about 19 monks left Fort Worth in October, are expected to reach Washington, D.C., by Feb. 10; rolling road closures planned along Route 1
A group of Buddhist monks nearing the end of a months-long, 2,300-mile pilgrimage from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., is expected to walk through Alexandria on Monday before crossing into Arlington County.
The roughly 19 monks, led by Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākāra, departed Fort Worth on Oct. 26 on what was planned as a 120-day trek to promote peace, national healing, and compassion. They are ahead of schedule. As of Thursday, the group was on day 103 of its journey, walking through Fredericksburg, Virginia, about 60 miles from the nation’s capital.
The monks are scheduled to depart Alexandria in the early afternoon Feb. 9, heading north along Route 1 into Arlington, according to the Arlington County Police Department. Their exact timing depends on the group’s progress and well-being.
The Alexandria Police Department told The Alexandria Brief on Friday that it is finalizing details on the route within city limits and expects to release that information later in the evening. A preliminary post about the walk was briefly published on the department’s channels before being taken down.
Arlington police said they will conduct rolling road closures along the route Monday and Tuesday as the procession moves through the county. Motorists in Alexandria and Arlington should expect traffic impacts along Route 1 and are encouraged to seek alternate routes.
The Walk for Peace is organized by the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center, a Buddhist temple in Fort Worth’s Historic Stop Six neighborhood that has served a predominantly Vietnamese-American community for more than 26 years. The temple is the future site of the $200 million Dhammacetiya Project, a 14-acre complex that will feature 840 stupas, or shrines, each inscribed with sacred Buddhist scriptures.
The monks, who come from France, Thailand, Laos, Utah and Texas, range in age from 31 to 68. Three of them, including Paññākāra, have walked portions of the trek barefoot. The group typically covers more than 20 miles a day, starting between 6:30 and 7 a.m., and holds daily “peace sharing talks” along the way. They have handed out blessing bracelets — a Buddhist symbol of protection — to people they encounter along the route.
The pilgrimage has drawn significant attention as it has moved through 10 states. A Facebook community dedicated to the walk has nearly 340,000 members. Gov. Abigail Spanberger met the monks in Richmond on Feb. 2 — their 100th day of walking — and issued a proclamation declaring it “Walk for Peace Day” in Virginia, her first such declaration as governor. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein made a similar proclamation on Jan. 24.
The journey has not been without hardship. In November, two monks were injured in Texas when a car struck one of the vehicles traveling alongside the group. Monk Bhante Dam Phommasan had his leg amputated after the collision.
The monks are also accompanied by Aloka, a rescue dog who originally joined monks during a prior peace walk in India. Aloka, whose name means “enlightenment” in Sanskrit, had leg surgery last month but continues to walk with the group when he is able.
Once in Arlington on Monday, the procession will travel along Crystal Drive, Army Navy Drive, Columbia Pike and Washington Boulevard before ending the day at Marymount University on North Glebe Road. Marymount President Irma Becerra is expected to deliver brief welcoming remarks upon the group’s arrival.
On Tuesday, the monks will depart Marymount and continue north toward Washington via North Glebe Road and Chain Bridge Road. They are expected to arrive at American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, between 10 a.m. and noon on Feb. 10. Organizers said the lunch stop at the university is closed to public visitation, but spectators are welcome to line the road to greet the monks. Additional events are planned in Washington on Feb. 10-11, with a full schedule expected to be posted on the group’s website.
Spectators who wish to watch the procession are asked to line the streets quietly and maintain a respectful distance. Arlington police said onlookers should not walk behind or follow the monks, step into roadways or attempt to approach them. The monks are not accepting material donations.
Several sections of the Arlington route have been designated unsuitable for spectators for safety reasons, including portions of South Joyce Street, Columbia Pike, Washington Boulevard and North Glebe Road. A live map of the route is available on the Arlington County Police Department’s website.
After two days of events in Washington, the monks plan to depart by bus on Feb. 12 and return to Fort Worth for a homecoming walk on the morning of Feb. 14.
This story will be updated with Alexandria route details as they become available.