The Walk for Peace, a procession of Buddhist monks making their way from Texas to Washington, D.C., arrived in Wake County on Friday. They arrived to Raleigh early Saturday morning.
After leaving the State Capitol, the monks are to spend the night in Raleigh before leaving toward Louisburg, North Carolina early Sunday morning. Their night stop location will not be disclosed.
While they normally have visiting hours for people to come and hear the monks speak, the visiting hours Saturday night in Raleigh were canceled to give the venerable monks some additional rest.
Here’s the progress the monks made Saturday leaving from Apex to Raleigh:
4:18 p.m.: Pannakara wraps up his heartwarming speech to the crowd. The monks will walk to the undisclosed night stop in Raleigh before leaving for Louisburg on Sunday.
3:35 p.m.: Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, who is usually the main speaker at these events, begins speaking. At one point, he said, “Look [around] now. We have different backgrounds, different faiths and beliefs, different skin colors, different languages. But we are able to come here together in this weather in front of this Capitol, just to support the mission of peace. It means there’s no difference between all of us.”
3:29 p.m.: Governor Josh Stein addresses the crowd and the monks. He said, “You’ve had a crowd following everywhere you’ve gone and a much larger crowd following you online. That is because you are bringing people hope. You are inspiring people at a time when so many are in need for inspiration.”
3:25 p.m.: Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell speaks to the crowd. She said, “As a person of faith who has become a little bit familiar with the teachings of the Buddhist tradition, I realize that all beings—human and otherwise—are integrally connected with each other in ways we can hardly imagine.
3:20 p.m.: A spokesperson for the Buddhist monks start their remarks off with a prayer and an explanation into the Walk For Peace initiative. He said that the monks have walked 1,800 miles so far.
3 p.m.: The monks arrived to the State Capitol where they will speak to a crowd of thousands.
2:30 p.m.: The monks left their lunch stop and walked toward the State Capitol. Thousands gathered to watch and walk behind them in this monumental walk for peace.
12:30 p.m.: The monks eat lunch. People wait outside in cold temperatures and wait for them to continue their walk toward the Capitol.
12 p.m.: People line up outside Greg Poole Jr. All Faiths Chapel to watch the monks walk by. Durham resident Anne Dorey and her friend Pam said it was amazing to watch them go by in peace.
When asked why she thinks so many people came out in the cold to see the monks, Dorey said it’s a sign and response of everything happening in the world.
“I think seeing that hope, that peace, I think we need it,” Dorey said.
Pam added, “When I first saw them, I burst into tears because we need them so much right now. This is a time filled with hate and we need that sort of dedication, love and intentionality that they have to offer.”
11:30 a.m.: The monks walked past the WRAL News station on Centennial Parkway as they make their way toward their lunch stop at Dix Park.
11 a.m.: The monks originally planned to have a peace talk at their lunch location outdoors. But due to the cold weather, and to protect the health and comfort of the venerable monks and everyone attending, the organizers have cancelled the peace talk.
They invite people to join the walk at 2 p.m. starting from their lunch stop at Greg Poole Jr. All Faiths Chapel toward the State Capitol. The peace gathering at the Capitol will be at 3:30 p.m.
10:55 a.m.: The monks pass Thistledown Drive.
WRAL anchor Ashley Rowe and reporter Flynn Snyder were on the ground, tracking the monks as they are to walk by the WRAL News station toward their lunch stop in Dix Park.
- 10:43 a.m.: The monks left the gas station and are on the move toward their lunch stop.
- 10:30 a.m.: People line up along Avent Ferry Road to see the monks.
- 10:27 a.m.: The monks briefly stopped at a Circle K off Gorman Street near Trailwood Drive so their camper can get gas. They were less than two miles from the WRAL news station and from their lunch stop destination.
- 9:43 a.m.: They left Swift Creek Fire Station for a quick pitstop and made their way down Tryon Road.
- 9:30 a.m.: The monks were less than 10 miles from downtown Raleigh as they made their way to the Greg Poole, Jr. All Faiths Chapel on Richardson Drive for lunch. After that, they made their trek toward the North Carolina State Capitol.
Their presence brings large crowds of hundreds, sometimes thousands, to areas where they walk through. Many gathered all throughout downtown Raleigh, even amidst winter temperatures and an incoming ice storm that is expected to create dangerous road conditions and knock out power.
People have said that the bitterly cold temperatures will not stop them from seeing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Arriving in Wake County
The monks spent the night at Apex High School Friday night. At around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, people started lining up outside the school to catch a glimpse of the monks before they continued their trek toward the State Capitol.
Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, who is usually the main speaker at these events, spoke to a crowd of hundreds in Apex Friday about their journey and how he didn’t realize that this many people, especially across the country, need peace.
“[People] are willing to quit their jobs to come here for peace,” Pannakara said to the busy crowd Friday morning. “I learn a little bit every day on our walk. Seeing so much people coming out to support this mission—that overwhelmed me.”
While the monks were on their way out of Chatham County toward Wake County, their beloved peace dog Aloka was able to get some love along the way, even if he’s not able to walk alongside the monks!
Winter weather worries
By the time they make their way to Raleigh, the monks — some of whom walk in bare feet by choice — could face another challenge. WRAL Severe Weather Center is tracking a system expected to bring freezing rain and ice to the Triangle.
The Walk for Peace will proceed regardless of the weather, a representative told WRAL News.
While the monks might arrive before the worst comes, be prepared for heavy traffic on some of the busiest roads in Raleigh, along with icy conditions that may start to form.
Ran Northam, a spokesperson with city of Raleigh said,” If you’re trying to come to Raleigh to see the monks, if you can’t get home safely, if you’re seeing especially with the weather coming in kind of aligned with when they’re going to be at the capitol, we’d really appreciate if you’d try to watch them on their live stream from home.”
How to interact with the monks
Beyond promoting peace, their highest priority is connecting with people along the way.
The “Walk For Peace” Facebook page states the proper way to greet the monks is by placing your palms together and bowing to them. Monks may bow in return, though they may avert their eyes as a sign of respect.
People are asked to avoid physical contact with monks like a hug or a handshake unless a monk extends an invitation to do so.
Please don’t bring items to give to the monks. They are not accepting material items. Those wishing to support the journey can make a donation through the Walk for Peace Facebook page.
The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha himself as core for attaining enlightenment. It focuses on the mind-body connection — observing breath and physical sensations to understand reality, impermanence and suffering.
When given flowers by the bystanders watching their journey, the monks regift them to others. They posted to Instagram, “the flowers remained the same— but the peace and happiness multiplied with each giving.”
The post continued, “This is the beautiful truth about peace: when you give it away, it doesn’t diminish — it multiplies. When you share joy, you don’t lose it — you create more of it.”
In Siler City, hundreds filled the football stadium at Jordan-Matthews High School to greet them.
Zack Roberson said, “They’re spreading peace, light, harmony. Look at all these beautiful people… We need that in this world!”
Evangela Oates, who cheered the monks as they passed through Guilford County on Tuesday, said her takeaway was to be more mindful in her daily life.
She said, “Multitasking is a part of what many of us do. I do it all the time. I don’t know if I’m gonna stop multitasking completely, but being more mindful about taking time to enjoy life and be mindful that our next moment is not promised to us.”
When, where the monks are going in North Carolina
Jan. 14: Arrived in Charlotte
Jan. 15: Traveled to Concord, visited Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church in Concord
Jan. 16: Left Concord and China Grove
Jan. 17: From China Grove, visited Salisbury, Spencer and Linwood
Jan. 18: From Linwood to Lexington and Thomasville
Jan. 19: From Thomasville to High Point and Greensboro
Jan. 20: From Greensboro to Climax
Jan. 21-22: Along U.S. Highway 64 through Chatham County
Jan. 23: Along U.S. Highway 64 with stops at Jordan Lake and Apex High School
Jan. 24: Dix Park in Raleigh, and on to the State Capitol
Jan. 25: Traveling toward Louisburg
Jan. 26: Expected to arrive in Franklin County
Jan 27-30: Expected to leave N.C. and travel into South Hill, Virginia
A months-long journey
The monks’ slow march began Oct. 26, 2025, at a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Texas, and is scheduled to end in mid-February in Washington, D.C.
Hailing from Theravada Buddhist monasteries across the globe, the 19 monks began their 2,300-mile (3,700 kilometer) trek at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth.
Lee McCorkle saw the monks in Concord and Kannapolis. McCorkle has a doctorate degree in anthropology, and has studied Buddhist tradition, history and culture for years.
“I’m just completely saturated with how just how special it was,” McCorkle said.
The journey has not been without peril.
On Nov. 19, as the monks were walking along U.S. Highway 90 near Dayton, Texas, their escort vehicle was hit by a distracted truck driver, injuring two monks. One of them lost his leg, reducing the group to 18.
Preferring to sleep each night in tents pitched outdoors, the monks have been surprised to see their message transcend ideologies, drawing huge crowds into churchyards, city halls and town squares across six states.
Documenting their journey on social media, they — and their dog, Aloka — have racked up millions of followers online.
