A group of Buddhist monks walking 2,300 miles from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington D.C., stopped in neighboring Apex on Friday, January 23, bringing together hundreds of residents and students from all over the Triangle area.

The monks were invited to spend the cold night at Apex High School, where they delivered their speech before continuing their journey the next day in the thick of freezing rain and icy conditions.

Their Walk for Peace began on October 26, 2025, and spanned approximately 10 states before concluding in Washington between February 10-11, 2026. The monks, ranging in age from 29 to 70, walked between 20 and 32 miles per day, sometimes logging 30,000 to 60,000 steps through heat, cold and unpredictable weather. 

Their journey was set to last 90 days, however, it ended up lasting around 108 due to severe, freezing winter weather and a serious car accident that resulted in a leg amputation for one monk resulting in necessary changes to their route. 

A Meditation on Forgiveness and Self-Reflection

The Venerable Monk: Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākāra (Sư Tuệ Nhân) – Leader of the Walk for Peace, began his talk in Apex by saying that before beginning the walk, he expected only a few thousand people to stop and observe along the way. Instead, the group has distributed more than 100,000 peace bracelets nationwide and encountered daily turnouts across North Carolina that he described as “overwhelming.”

“When we entered the state line of North Carolina, we were overwhelmed with love,” said Paññākāra, “every day for the last seven days, people have stood on the road and welcomed us.”

During the talk at Apex High School, Mayor Jacques Gilbert issued a formal proclamation declaring January 23 as “Walk for Peace Day” in Apex. Wake county officials, town council members and representatives from the Wake County Sheriff’s office joined the ceremony alongside Mayor Gilbert. 

The mayor described the monks as “messengers of peace,” and emphasized the responsibility of local leaders and residents to promote unity and safety within their communities. 

Officials presented the group with symbolic gifts, including a golden shoe from the mayor honoring the thousands of miles they have walked. The mayor also wore a pair of gold shoes during the ceremony.

The event further recognized Lunar New Year traditions, as members of the Asian community in the Apex area distributed red envelopes filled with chocolate gold coins to the monks. In many East Asian cultures, red envelopes symbolize good luck, prosperity and protection for the year ahead, with the color red representing fortune and joy and the gold coins signifying “abundance” and “safe travels.”

Although the event had ceremonial elements, the tone shifted once Pannakara began speaking directly to the audience. 

Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākāra guided the crowd through a meditation centered on forgiveness. 

Audience members were instructed to close their eyes, place their hands over their hearts and reflect on their parents’ faces. He encouraged them to consider moments when they may have hurt others, intentionally or unintentionally, and to ask for forgiveness internally. He also urged them to forgive themselves. 

“We can forgive others easily,” he said. “But it is difficult to forgive ourselves.”

He warned against holding on to regret, resentment and anger, describing emotional burdens as obstacles that prevent individuals from living peacefully. He compared unresolved anger to carrying unnecessary weight and encouraged attendees to “never create an enemy for ourselves.”

The meditation lasted around 10 minutes, creating a rare moment of collective silence among the crowd.

A significant portion of the speech addressed students in attendance. 

Venerable monk Paññākāra first asked how many students could fully focus in school. A few hands rose. He then asked how many had their phones with them, and most hands went up. Calling phones “lovers,” he encouraged students to reflect on how their dependence on technology may be affecting their attention.

“How many of you rushed back home because you forgot your phone?” he asked.

He argued that constant digital attachment weakened focus and mental resilience; he linked distraction with overstimulation to rising anxiety and depression amongst young people.

“Your mind becomes weaker everyday when you depend too much on technology,” he said. 

The Demands of a Cross-Country Walk for Peace

The monks described the physical demands of walking thousands of miles.

They burn roughly 3,000 calories per day according to the medical staff accompanying them and must replenish energy constantly. Venerable monk Paññākāra joked about needing sweets to sustain the journey, noting that their bodies demand sugar after walking long distances daily.

Despite being exhausted, the group emphasized mindfulness with each step.

“If we are not mindful with our steps, we cannot make it,” he said. 

A common theme in the talk was that the walk is not to be framed as a protest or political demonstration but instead a practice/moving meditation to inspire reflection in each community they visit.

Local officials emphasized diversity and shared responsibility in creating safe communities. The presence of county leaders, law enforcement, educators, students and members of various faiths demonstrate the regional collaboration behind the event. 

As the event drew to a close, the monks distributed peace bracelets to attendees who wished to receive one. The red cotton bracelets, adorned with white beads, symbolize protection, compassion and peace, serving as a reminder to pause, breathe and remain grounded.

The monks’ stop in Apex was one smaller stop in a larger national journey but for those who attended it, it served as a reminder that peace, as Paññākāra repeated, “is not a destination, it is a way of being.”