Buddhist monks walk 2,300 miles to Washington to promote peace.

Two dozen Buddhist monks came to Washington on a 2,300-mile “Walk for Peace,” which they called a spiritual trek across nine states. Thousands of people cheered them on along the way.”I want this,” said 59-year-old Joan Donoghue from Silver Spring, Maryland, who came with four of her friends to see the monks.I went to Virginia on Sunday and waited outside for a long time. I talked to a lot of individuals, and they all said the same thing: that our country needs this. “We feel divided, and people want more peace, kindness, and compassion.”

Over three months ago, the monks started their walk in Texas. They sometimes had to walk barefoot in the cold winter weather to “raise awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world.”

The marchers kept going even though a strong winter storm brought heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Ohio Valley and mid-South to New England. The storm was made worse by the brutal Arctic cold that was affecting much of the US.

Their trip comes at a time when tensions are rising in the US. They are travelling with Aloka, a rescue dog from India who is known as “the Peace Dog” on social media.

President Donald Trump’s strict immigration stance has led to an increase in the number of immigration officers and National Guard troops sent to various areas. Federal authorities have killed both American civilians and immigrants.Bhikkhu Pannakara, the spiritual leader of the Walk for Peace, said, “We walk not to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us.” “The Walk for Peace is a simple but powerful reminder that kindness and unity start with each of us and can spread to families, communities, and society as a whole.”

They will be in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then they will complete their trip in Annapolis, Maryland, which is close by, on Thursday.

SUPPORT AND FLOWERS

Millions of people on social media have backed the walk, and many have sent notes of support to the monks. Supporters have braved snow and rain to greet the monks and give them flowers as they walked through their cities.

There were hundreds of people in Washington who came to witness the monks as they went along a route that is informally known as Embassy Row since there are so many embassies and diplomatic homes there.

Coleman O’Donoghue, 62, from Washington, drew the attention of many of the people watching as he held a big banner with a peace sign on a sea of blue. It was the fourth time he and his wife, Bonnie, had seen the monks on Tuesday.O’Donoghue stated, “They are a beautiful distraction from the chaos that is going on in the city, the country, and the world right now.” “It gives everyone a moment to stop and think about something that isn’t as stressful as what the chaos is causing.”

A lot of the people who watched stated that the friendship and good vibe made the long wait worth it, even though they only got to see the monks for a minute.

Julie Segor, 58, of Washington, became friends with a couple she met while she was waiting. Christine Varner, 65, and Carl, 61, of Maryland, gave the monks their flowers and fruit as they passed.Christine stated, “We all wanted to see the monks on the peace walk and give them some fruit and flowers.”

Josh Stein, the governor of North Carolina, congratulated the monks for offering hope to millions with their message of peace, equality, justice, and compassion while they were there.”You are inspiring people at a time when so many need it,” Stein added.

The Walk for Peace has gone through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. When the monks got to Washington, they met with spiritual and other leaders. They also had a ceremony at the National Cathedral that was open to people of all faiths.

The District of Columbia’s secretary of state, Kimberly Bassett, gave the monks a proclamation honouring them on behalf of Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser during the ceremony at the cathedral.We may have walked 2,300 miles today, but our road for peace is not over. Bassett added, “Your pilgrimage has brought people together from cities, states, and communities.”

The trek has been good, although there have been some problems along the way. According to local news, a truck hit the monks’ escort van while they were strolling through Dayton, Texas, hurting multiple persons. One monk lost his leg and two others were hurt badly.

Even though there was a tragedy, the group kept walking across the US to honour their initial message of peace and