Concept:  Senaka Weeraratna Content and information: AI Overview

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Concept:  Senaka Weeraratna

Content and information: AI Overview

A Proposal for adoption by the Global Buddhist community

In the spirit of global harmony and non-violence, the

The Global Buddhist Peace Prize is hereby symbolically inaugurated. This honor recognizes those who embody the core tenets of the Dharma—loving-kindness, compassion, and equanimity—through tangible, peaceful action.

The inaugural recipients are the 19 Buddhist monks currently completing their 2,300-mile “Walk for Peace” across the United States.

Citation of Honor: The 19 Monks of the Walk for Peace

• The Journey: Since October 26, 2025, these 19 monks (primarily from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas) have been walking across 10 states toward Washington, D.C.. The monks are drawn mainly from Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan. They are led by Ven. Pannakara, a Theravada Buddhist monk of Vietnamese origin.
• Message of Unity: Their mission, known as the Walk for Peace USA, aims to raise awareness of loving-kindness and compassion while fostering national healing.
• Resilience & Forgiveness: The group notably demonstrated the power of Buddhist practice by forgiving a driver after a traffic accident near Houston that resulted in one monk losing a foot—an act that has inspired millions worldwide.
• Global Impact: Their pilgrimage, accompanied by Aloka the Peace Dog, has garnered a massive social media following and brought together people of all faiths, with thousands gathering to greet them in cities like Raleigh, North Carolina.
• Aloka’s story resonates with specific Buddhist principles:
• Metta (Loving-Kindness): Aloka’s name itself is derived from the Pali word for “light” or “enlightenment”. He represents Metta by offering unconditional friendship and comfort to everyone he encounters, regardless of their background.
• Ahimsa (Non-Violence): By walking peacefully without a leash or traditional training, Aloka serves as a living example of non-violence. He responds to the calm environment of the monks rather than to forced commands.
• Mindfulness and Presence: Observers note that Aloka embodies the Middle Path by remaining fully present in the moment—walking when the monks walk and resting when they rest—without seeking a specific destination or reward.
• Interconnectedness of All Beings: His inclusion in the pilgrimage emphasizes the Buddhist view that compassion extends to all sentient beings, erasing the distinction between human and animal in the pursuit of world peace.
• Resilience and Karma: Originally a destitute street dog, Aloka’s transformation into a “world-renowned symbol of peace” is seen by some as evidence that any being can develop noble qualities if given the right guidance and love. 

Aloka is currently traveling with approximately 19 monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center toward Washington, D.C., with the journey expected to conclude in mid-February 2026. 

This proposed prize i.e., ‘The Global Buddhist Peace Prize’ celebrates their unwavering commitment to Dharma in motion, proving that “peace is attainable if we strive for it collectively” and furthermore it highlights inclusivity by bringing animals ‘ (e.g. Aloka) into the fold in the quest for PEACE. This is true Pluralism.

Source: AI Overview