ANNAPOLIS, Md. — After 109 days and roughly 2,300 miles on foot, the Walk for Peace will take its final public steps Thursday in Annapolis, adding a Maryland stop before departing for Texas.
The pilgrimage, led by Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākāra, concluded its Washington, D.C., events Wednesday and will begin its final walk at 9 a.m. Thursday from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. A peace gathering is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the steps of the Maryland State Capitol.
Organizers announced on social media that the monks plan to depart Annapolis at approximately 12:30 p.m. Thursday, returning by bus to Fort Worth, Texas, where the journey began in late October.
The Maryland stop was added to the public schedule as the cross-country pilgrimage reached its final week. Throughout the journey, the monks have walked an average of 15 to 20 miles per day, emphasizing mindfulness, nonviolence and compassion. Public participation has been voluntary at each stop, with local communities providing rest areas and logistical support.
The venerable monks are scheduled to arrive in Fort Worth on Feb. 14 for a homecoming walk marking the completion of the 112-day journey.
According to information posted on the group’s website, the homecoming will begin at 8 a.m. Feb. 14 at Fort Worth Water Gardens, followed by a roughly six-mile walk back to Hương Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center, where the pilgrimage began in October. A peace gathering is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. at the temple.
The Walk for Peace has not solicited donations or sold merchandise during the journey, instead encouraging individuals to participate informally by walking short distances, observing in silence or joining public gatherings along the route.
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