Buddhist monks, rescue dog draw crowds in Metro Atlanta Walk for Peace

People from all over the Metro Atlanta area are gathering to support, watch and cheer on 19 Buddhist monks and a rescue dog as they make a 2,300-mile Walk for Peace.

Atlanta News First reports the group stopped in Fayetteville and Morrow on Monday and will be in Decatur Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

“It’s an amazing experience just walking for peace and joy,” Diana Jackson told Atlanta News First. “It just shows that there can be peace and there’s people willing to go out there and fight for it.”

Jackson said she brought her daughter to see the group at Trillith in Fayetteville.

The monks started their walk Oct. 26 in Fort Worth, Texas, and plan to end the walk in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 16.

The goal of the walk is to promote peace and unity, Bhikkhu Pannakara told Atlanta News First.

“We have different backgrounds, different skin colors, different languages, that we speak and different faiths but everybody coming together because of peace and this is love,” said Pannakara.

Pannakara said they are also promoting mindfulness and asking everyone to slow down.

“Not multitask anymore and just be mindful with it…if we can live that way with mindfulness every single day then we will have a peaceful day in our family then peace will spread,” said Pannakara.