A moment of interfaith unity unfolded in Kandy on Thursday when the ongoing “Walk for Peace”, led by Buddhist monks, reached a mosque during its seven-day journey across Sri Lanka.
A large and diverse crowd — representing different races, religions and ethnic communities — gathered in support as the monks led by Ven. Pannakara Thero paused at the Kandy mosque, Newswire reported.
Participants described the visit as a strong symbol of mutual respect, coexistence and religious harmony, with speakers highlighting the importance of peace and unity amid the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings’ seventh anniversary.
The Walk for Peace is scheduled to run April 21-28, beginning at Anuradhapura and concluding at Kelaniya. Earlier this week, the walk drew large crowds in central Sri Lanka, where the monks’ travelling companion Aloka — a dog now widely associated with the march — took on its own following.
The mosque visit comes as Sri Lanka marks the seventh anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks, which targeted churches and hotels and killed 279 people. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference has continued to press for accountability and prosecution of those who planned the attacks, with senior prosecutors telling the Colombo Fort Magistrate this week that former intelligence chief Suresh Salley was a “key driving force” behind the bombings.
Public displays of inter-religious solidarity have been a recurring theme of the anniversary period, with Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Muslim communities holding joint commemorative events this month.
