Georgia’s winter temperatures and high winds didn’t stop crowds from gathering inside and outside of the Morrow Center on Monday afternoon in anticipation of the arrival of some special guests. Two dozen Buddhist monks, led by Bhikkhu Pannakara, have embarked on a 2,300-mile Walk For Peace, which included, among other counties, Clayton and DeKalb.
In Decatur, hundreds of people gathered along Rainbow Drive to watch the men march up the drive and into the center. Hours before the monks arrived, mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, grandparents, friends, and interested parties sat, stood, and walked in place to stay warm while they waited.
Belinda T. lives down the street from the temple and took the short drive over to witness what she called “history.”
“This is a historical event. I have lived to see a Black president, a Black vice president, and now this,” Belinda T. said. “I feel like I’m witnessing history.”
Steven Gibson echoed her sentiments. He was there with a couple of family members. Gibson and his party made their way to Decatur from Douglasville. He told The Atlanta Voice that he planned on making the trip because he, too, wanted to witness something he had never seen before. He also agrees with the monks’ overall mission of peace.
“I agree with what they are doing. It’s noble,” Gibson said. “Where we are as a country, we need something positive to lift our spirits.”
A mother and her four children moved closer and closer together in order to stay warm. She wanted her kids, an older boy and three small girls, to see the monks for various reasons. The top reason being proof of life.
“I support their walk for peace, I believe it is bringing us all together,” Nyah S. said. “But I also want my children to witness different walks of life.”
Kyah S. didn’t intend to use the perfect pun, but it landed right on target. She said her children are way too young to have witnessed the Civil Rights marches of the 50s and 60s, or even the Black Lives Matters protest of 2020 and 2021, but they can see this.
“Especially, peaceful ways of life. There are people of all colors and religions out here,” Nyah S., who is Muslim, said. “It’s important for them to witness this.”
Following brunch inside the arts and community center, there are plans for the monks to remain in Dekalb County for a peace gathering at the Beacon Municipal Complex. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, State Representative and gubernatorial candidate Ruwa Romman (D-Ga.), and Congressman Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) are invited speakers along with lead monk Bhikkhu Pannakara.
In Morrow, massive crowds gathered along Tara and Mt. Zion boulevards, while some people stood on cars, bundled in blankets, and used walkers as they awaited the monks’ arrival at the Morrow Center at Southlake Mall. Due to the number of people in the crowds, the monks were moved inside the building for safety reasons.
Residents peered into the windows near the entrance of the Morrow Center to catch a glimpse of the modestly dressed monks in their traditional saffron and brown robes.
This peace walk began in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to conclude in Washington, D.C., according to the steady stream of social media posts associated with the monks’ mission. The goal is to promote national healing, unity, and compassion. The Walk for Peace will traverse 10 states on its route to Washington, D.C., stopping at state capitols, historic landmarks, and local communities to share its message and invite moments of reflection and prayer.
This 110-day pilgrimage began at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, the future site of one of the most significant Buddhist projects in the United States: The Ancient Sacred Buddhist Scripture Stupas, Dhammacetiya.
This visionary $200 million development spans 14 acres and will feature 840 stupas, each inscribed with sacred Buddhist scriptures symbolizing the boundless wisdom and compassion of the Buddha.
The project stands as a testament to Texas’s vibrant and growing Buddhist community and its commitment to strengthening the moral and spiritual fabric of the nation.
Buddhist monks dedicate their lives to preserving, practicing, and sharing the teachings of the Buddha through renunciation, meditation, study, and compassionate service. Following the Buddha’s example, monks often undertake long walking pilgrimages, spiritual journeys that may last for months.
During the Walk for Peace, participating monks will observe a strict ascetic code inspired by these ancient traditions, including eating only one meal per day and sleeping beneath trees, as a practice of humility, endurance, and spiritual focus.
Rooted in both spiritual devotion and civic purpose, the Walk for Peace looks to remind Americans that peace is not a destination; it is a practice. As the nation faces challenges of division, mental health crises, and conflict both at home and abroad, this pilgrimage offers a simple yet profound message: peace begins within the heart of each person and extends outward to families, communities, and the nation.
Walk For Peace Spiritual Leader Bhikkhu Pannakara said they walk not to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us.
“The Walk for Peace is a simple yet meaningful reminder that unity and kindness begin within each of us and can radiate outward to families, communities, and society as a whole,” he said.
Supporter Monique Funches says this movement, in which the monks are participating, has inspired her own healing journey.
“For me, this walk means a lot and contributes to my healing journey because of my own experiences, personally being adopted from foster care,” she said. “It has taught me the value in being able to come to peace and to terms with my circumstances and with being separated and longing and yearning for that connection with my first family.”
She also says the Walk For Peace pilgrimage’s goal is to promote unity, peace, and a color-blind perspective, seeking wholeness and embracing differences.
After watching so many people unite for a single goal, Funches says it feels like everyone is “finally coming together,” especially in a time when it seems like everyone is divided.
The monks continue their 2,300-mile pilgrimage on Tuesday with a public stop planned in Decatur. The pilgrimage will culminate Feb. 13, 2026, at the U.S. Capitol, where participants hope to deliver a brief message symbolizing healing and renewal.