The internationally recognised “Walk for Peace” will commence today (April 22) from Dambulla, with arrangements in place to continue the event until April 28 under state patronage.
The peace march is scheduled to begin at 6:30 a.m., featuring a spiritual procession carrying a sacred Bodhi sapling from the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, symbolising unity, compassion, and harmony.
The initiative follows a previous 110-day peace walk undertaken by over 200 Buddhist monks across the United States, from Texas to Washington, which drew global attention.
Organised as the “Ehipassiko Walk for Peace,” the Sri Lankan leg will see participation from an international delegation of monks led by Venerable Pannakara Thero of Vietnam, who arrived in the country yesterday. A dog named “Aloka,” known for accompanying the monks, is also part of the journey.
According to the schedule, the march will proceed from Dambulla to Matale on the opening day, before reaching Kandy tomorrow. On Thursday, it will resume from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy.
The procession will then travel through Kegalle, Yakkala, and Mahara, concluding at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya on April 27. The final day, April 28, will feature a public gathering in Kelaniya, followed by a ceremony at Independence Square under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The visiting monks are expected to remain in Sri Lanka until May 1, after which the sacred relics and Bodhi sapling will be taken to the United States.