Monks walking from Florida to Niagara Falls to promote world peace reach WNY

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Nearly a dozen Buddhist monks walking from Key West, Florida to Niagara Falls to raise awareness about achieving world peace have officially reached Western New York.

This walk for world peace began on March 31, and event organizers said the monks from all parts of the world travel about 30 miles a day on average. On Monday, they traveled Route 5 and Route 20 in the Southern Tier, heading toward Grand Island and eventually Terrapin Point.

Their 2,000-mile journey has taken them through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, and now New York.

The monks stopped at Native Pride Travel Plaza on Monday and were presented with a Seneca Nation flag along with refreshments.

The monks travel light with minimal clothing, blankets or food, relying on the kindness of neighbors to help make it across America.

The monks will continue this journey throughout this week and plan to conclude the pilgrimage Saturday on the observation deck at Terrapin Point. You can follow updates on the monks’ journey and location on their Facebook page.

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here .