The ‘Ehi Passiko’ Peace Walk concludes on Tuesday with a state ceremony at Independence Square in Colombo, ending an islandwide procession that began on April 22.
The procession will leave Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya late morning and arrive at Independence Square by 4 p.m., according to Ada Derana and NewsFirst. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will preside over the state ceremony at the venue.
Following the ceremony, the procession will resume from Independence Square at around 5:30 p.m., passing the Maharaja Media Network premises before concluding at Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo.
A special traffic plan is in effect across several parts of Colombo to accommodate the route.
The walk, led by senior Buddhist monks including Venerable Pannakara Thero, started in Dambulla on April 22 and travelled through Kandy, Kegalle’s two forest reserves and Yakkala before reaching Kelaniya on April 27. It carries a global message of peace amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
A street dog named Aloka, who joined the procession in Kandy and walked alongside the monks for several days, became one of the most photographed companions of the journey.
