APEX, N.C. (RNS) — Their bright saffron robes and shoulder bags standing out against a cloudy sky, 18 Buddhist monks walked in a single file along the shoulder of U.S.-64, a four-lane highway, on Friday (Jan. 23), drawing thousands of locals along their route.

As the monks’ solemn Walk for Peace, from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., passed through North Carolina, they were mostly silent and kept up a brisk pace, accompanied by sheriff’s department vehicles with their lights flashing. In 90 days, they have traversed more than half of their 2,220-mile trek to raise awareness of peace, kindness and compassion.

The crowds who lined up for miles on the side of the road to greet them and hand them flowers, oranges and bottled water showed nothing short of reverence as they passed near Apex. North Carolinians from across the state — and some further afield — pressed their palms together, bowed and wept openly as the monks walked by. Some prostrated to the ground.

“I’m not too happy with the way things are going in the United States right now, and I feel like peace is really important and a good message for everybody, regardless of who is spreading that message, so I wanted to come and support that,” said Valerie Soldatow, a research scientist who works at a biotech company in the nearby Research Triangle Park.

Alongside the highway, people came with a wide array of flowers, hand-drawn posters and incense as they waited for the monks to approach. The numbers increased as the monks crossed the bridge over Jordan Lake, a popular recreation spot, and made their way to the picnic area for lunch.

The monks, some shod in sneakers and others walking only in woolen socks, were expected to spend the night at Apex High School and then continue on to the state capitol grounds in Raleigh on Saturday. Gov. Josh Stein issued a proclamation declaring Jan. 24, 2026, as “Walk For Peace Day” in North Carolina. 

The Walk for Peace, which began on Oct. 26, is a highly organized undertaking, with a sophisticated behind-the-scenes social media operation. In person, the monks have been surrounded by a large retinue of volunteers assisting them — some from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, supported by members of Buddhist temples in the towns they are walking through.

The long trek has been difficult. In November, one of the monks, walking along U.S. Highway 90 near Dayton, Texas, was hit by a distracted truck driver and lost his leg. He could not continue the journey. Their loyal pariah dog, Aloka, has also needed surgery but is recovering. The dog rode in a camper behind the monks on Friday.

In Apex, some of the people who stood on the side of the road were also Southeast Asian immigrants — mostly Hindus, but also some Buddhists. Wake County has the largest Asian population in North Carolina — about 10%. The town of Cary, just a few miles away, is 20% Asian.

Jayanthi Raghu came with her husband and some friends to see the monks. Raghu, who is Hindu, said the monks’ goal of peace “emits a kind of a vibration, which is magnetic.”

“It really moves you,” she said. “Just looking at them and the focus they bring. I really admire them.”

The monks are part of the Theravada Buddhist tradition, which is predominant in Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia and parts of Vietnam, said Richard Jaffe, a professor of religious studies at Duke University.

These particular monks are distinctive for their practice of Vipassana meditation, which, in the West, has given rise to insight meditation, now popularly known as mindfulness meditation and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction.

“It’s quite widespread and it’s widely taught,” said Jaffe, “not just to monks, but also to the laity.”

But most of the thousands of people who turned up this week to see the monks are not Buddhist. They were moved to see them in person out of admiration for the idea of increasing peace.

“I respect what these men are trying to do,” said Ellen Lohr-Hinkel of Pittsboro, North Carolina, who came out for a second time to catch sight of the monks, holding three yellow chrysanthemums in her hand. “They’re showing a lot of strength and courage, and it is uplifting in these times.”