About two dozen Buddhist monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, are undertaking a 3,700-kilometer pilgrimage across the United States, walking for 110 days to promote peace and mindfulness. The Walk for Peace, which began on 26 October, will take the monks through 10 states as they journey from their temple in Fort Worth’s historic Stop Six neighborhood to Washington, DC.

Along the route, participants will stop at state capitols, historic landmarks, and local communities to share messages of peace, invite reflection, and engage in prayer. The pilgrimage is not a protest or demonstration, but “a journey to bring blessings to countless lives in a world filled with uncertainty and restlessness,” said the temple’s vice president Tue Nhan Bhikkhu, also known as Rev. Nguyen, during a 19 October press conference. (Fort Worth Report)

“The Buddha taught that true peace arises when the mind is free from greed, anger, and delusion. But this truth belongs to all humanity,” Rev. Nguyen said. (Fort Worth Report)

Founded more than 26 years ago, the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center serves a largely Vietnamese-American Buddhist community in Fort Worth. The temple is also developing the Dhammacetiya Project, a 5.6-hectare expansion featuring 840 stupas, or shrines, engraved with sacred Buddhist scriptures symbolizing the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion. Announced in 2022, the project represents one of the largest Buddhist construction efforts in the southern US.

At the 19 October press conference, community members and local officials gathered at the temple to offer support. Attendees sat on red lotus-embroidered cushions as leaders from the temple, the Texas Nepalese Buddhist Association, and representatives from state and federal government shared their encouragement.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter expressing his support, which was read aloud by a member of the temple. Abbott wrote that the event “will pave the way for a better, brighter future for Americans of all backgrounds.” (Fort Worth Report)

US Congressman Marc Veasey (Democrat, Fort Worth) offered a video message praising the effort: “The Walk for Peace is something that our country, our community, needs right now.” (Fort Worth Report) Texas State Representative Salman Bhojani (Democrat, Euless) attended in person to present a resolution honoring the monks’ pilgrimage.

Bhojani, who in 2022 became one of the first Muslim Americans elected to the Texas Legislature, spoke of the walk as a timely reminder of shared humanity amid political and cultural divisions. “We talk about peace all the time, but peace is not passive. You really have to do something about it,” he said. “This walk is a very peaceful, humble way of going physically through our country and meeting the different people along the journey.” (Fort Worth Report)

Bhojani added that the journey represented a living example of diversity and interfaith harmony: “People of different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds are afraid or unwilling to talk with one another. I hope that this pilgrimage will inspire people to see diversity as a strength rather than a weakness.” (Fort Worth Report)

Local Buddhists and volunteers have also expressed support for the effort. Mansfield residents Michael Pothier and Kelly Doan, who attended the press conference, said they planned to assist the monks along their route. “A tenet of Buddhism is to practice your faith out in the community,” said Pothier. “We just want to do something that is meaningful for people.” (Fort Worth Report)

“Especially at this time in this country, a lot of things are happening, not only in America but also in the world,” Doan added. (Fort Worth Report)

As the event concluded, Rev. Nguyen encouraged participants to remember that “peace is not something external to be found, but something cultivated from within.” (Fort Worth Report)

“Even in a world filled with noise and division, peace is still possible—not because the world changes, but because we change,” Rev. Nguyen said. “Let us walk not with hurry, but with awareness. Let us walk with open hearts, with respect for every life, every path, every faith. May every footprint we leave behind bloom into flowers of peace, so that wherever these steps have touched the earth, there remains a quiet fragrance of loving-kindness.”  (Fort Worth Report)

An Truong, the mayor of Haltom City, a suburb northeast of Fort Worth, Texas, echoed Rev. Nguyen’s comments: “The reason we walk like this is because over the last several decades, with all the wars, people have lost respect for life. Buddhism teaches respect for life and peace. In today’s society, people are angry, burned out, and killing each other. That’s why they hosted this walk for peace.” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Texas Rep. Nicole Collier added, “When I heard about this 2,300-mile walk, I was amazed. It really touches the hearts and minds of people.” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Walking pilgrimages have long been a part of Buddhist tradition, embodying the values of humility, endurance, and spiritual practice. During the 110-day journey, the monks will eat only one meal a day and sleep outdoors beneath trees, following ancient monastic customs meant to cultivate discipline and mindfulness. The pilgrimage will conclude on 13 February 2026 at the US Capitol, where the monks plan to deliver a message of healing and renewal.

See more

Fort Worth Buddhist monks to embark on 2,300 mile nationwide Walk for Peace (Fort Worth Report)
Buddhist monks embark on walk of peace from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

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