Event Details
- Arrival: 10:45 AM
- Location: We will meet at the Boston Common by “The Embrace,” the sculpture honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
- 139 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111
- Walking Begins: 11:00 AM sharp.
2026 Dates
- August 30, 2026
- September 20, 2026
- October 25, 2026
- November 28, 2026
- December 27, 2026
2027 Dates
Starting in 2027 we will try to walk regularly on the 4th Sunday of the month.
- January: January 24, 2027
- February: February 28, 2027
- March: March 28, 2027
- April: April 25, 2027
- May: May 23, 2027
- June: June 27, 2027
- July: July 25, 2027
- August: August 22, 2027
- September: September 26, 2027
- October: October 24, 2027
- November: November 28, 2027
- December: December 26, 2027
2028 Dates
- January: January 23, 2028
- February: February 27, 2028
- March: March 26, 2028
- April: April 23, 2028
- May: May 28, 2028
- June: June 25, 2028
- July: July 23, 2028
- August: August 27, 2028
- September: September 24, 2028
- October: October 22, 2028
- November: November 26, 2028
- December: December 24, 2028
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The Route
We will walk from “The Embrace” until we reach the entrance of the Public Garden. There, we will pause for five minutes, simply holding our signs in quiet presence allowing pedestrians and drivers to read our signs. Afterward, we will continue through the Garden to our final spot.
Guidelines for our Journey
To maintain the integrity of this practice, please follow these simple instructions:
- Silence: We will remain semi-silent for the duration of the walk until we reach our final destination.
- Interaction: While we are silent, we are not closed off. Walk and smile. Walk and bow. Walk and say ”Good morning.” If a passerby greets you and says “Good morning,” please feel free to respond kindly and ask, “Would you like to join us?” They may be curious, and if they want to chat, step aside and engage in conversation. That’s fine.
- Formation: We will walk in a single-line formation, holding our signs. We will walk one behind the other, on the right side of the paths. We will keep a distance of approximately 2 steps from the person in front of us.
- Consideration: Please ensure we are not blocking the way or creating any inconvenience for other people using the park.
- The Pace: It will be a slow, mindful walk, but not as slow as when we are practicing Walking Meditation.
- The Signs: We carry our signs today as peaceful, non-confrontational, non-offensive reminders of our shared desire and hope for a better world.
The Experience
We will walk slowly from the Boston Common to the Public Garden in intentional silence. During this easy, 30 to 45-minute journey, we will hold signs representing the virtues we wish to cultivate such as Peace, Love, Hope, Generosity, Compassion, Patience, Kindness, Forgiveness, Optimism, Community, Contentment, Gratitude, Happiness, Empathy, Integrity, Respect, Grace, Loving Speech...
Logistics
- Leading the Peace Walk: Our walks are a shared practice. If I’m ever not there, please feel empowered to step in and lead the way. Anyone in the group is welcome to step up and facilitate. The structure remains the same, and you already know what to do. The Peace Walk continues!
- Weather: We plan to go ahead as long as it’s safe (just a bit of rain is okay), but we will cancel if severe or unsafe weather (such as heavy rain, lightning, snow, or high winds) comes our way.
- Community: We welcome your family, friends, and neighbors to walk with us. Please share this notice widely. We look forward to walking together in silence and solidarity.
The Opening
Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here. Before we begin our walk together, I would like to offer a few words to set our intention and explain how we will move as a group.
As conflict touches our country and many parts of our world, we gather to walk for harmony. In a world where many suffer the weight of division and war, we walk to express a singular desire: that all beings may live in peace.
Our path is not one of loud or violent opposition to the systems around us; instead, we seek to cultivate what is gentle and good. We believe that lasting change does not come from simply fighting the old, but from a profound change of minds and hearts. Rather than focusing our energy on opposing the bad, we dedicate ourselves to enhancing the good. We focus on what we want, not on what we don’t want. We demonstrate a new mindset—one that respects the dignity of every individual and recognizes our capacity to live together in harmony. We choose to be pro-peace rather than merely anti-war.
Everyone is welcome to join our Peace Walk! This is a non-religious, non-political, and non-sectarian gathering. We simply walk in peace, for peace.
1 – Thich Nhat Hanh
Today, we walk in honor of the Zen Master and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh who inspired us, and reminded us that “We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on Earth. Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet. The Earth is sacred and we touch her with each step. Therefore, we must walk with reverence and be very respectful, because we are walking in a holy sanctuary.”
2 – Gandhi
We also honor Gandhi and remember his Salt March, a pivotal 24-day, 240-mile nonviolent protest from March 12 to April 6, 1930, against the British monopoly on salt in India. Starting with 78 followers from Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal village of Dandi, Gandhi broke British law by picking up natural salt, sparking nationwide civil disobedience, mass arrests, and global attention. On April 6, 1930, Gandhi lifted a handful of salt from the seashore, technically breaking the law. The act triggered a nationwide, nonviolent movement, leading to over 60,000 arrests (including Gandhi). This event showcased the power of peaceful, organized resistance (Satyagraha) and forced Britain to negotiate, eventually leading to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact and the freedom for residents to collect salt. The 1930 march is considered the most, influential campaign in India’s struggle
3 – Martin Luther King Jr.
We remember Martin Luther King Jr. and all of those who walked from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to demand the right to vote. We remember his words, ”No lie can live forever!” The Selma to Montgomery marches were three protest marches, held in 1965, along the 54-mile highway from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital of Montgomery. The marches were organized by nonviolent activists to demonstrate the desire of African-American citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote, in defiance of segregationist repression; they were part of a broader voting rights movement underway in Selma and throughout the American South. By highlighting racial injustice, they contributed to passage that year of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark federal achievement of the civil rights movement.
4 – Maha Ghosananda
We also remember Maha Ghosananda who walked through the aftermath of a great war in Cambodia that claimed a third of its people. As he walked the killing fields—a landscape of immense tragedy—he carried a timeless truth: “Hatred cannot put an end to hatred. Only love can do it.”
5 – Peace Pilgrim
We also remember and honor Mildred Lisette Norman, who starting on January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, California, adopted the name Peace Pilgrim and walked across the United States for 28 years, speaking with others about peace. Her vow was “I shall remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until I am given shelter and fasting until I am given food.” The message she gave was, ”This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.”
6 – John H. Francis III
We also remember and honor John H. Francis III, an American environmentalist nicknamed The Planetwalker. After witnessing the devastation caused by the 1971 San Francisco Bay oil spill, he stopped riding in motorized vehicles, a vow that lasted 22 years from 1972 until 1994. From 1973 until 1990, he also spent 17 years voluntarily silent. During this time, he traveled extensively, walking across the entire width of the lower 48 states of the USA as well as in South America.
7 – The nineteen monks
We also remember and honor the nineteen Theravādin monks from the Hương Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Clad in traditional monastic robes and sandals, they walked with quiet resolve to complete a 2,300-mile Walk for Peace to Washington, D.C. Setting out from Fort Worth on October 26, 2025, the monks journeyed for 15 weeks, arriving at the capital on February 10, 2026, after 109 days. They moved steadily through one of the harshest winters in decades, navigating snow and freezing temperatures to embody a message of compassion. As they passed through towns and cities, they were met by people offering flowers, drawn to their simple, powerful reminder: peace begins within each of us. There was no pursuit of media attention, no political agenda, and no fundraising effort. Their intention remained pure—to walk steadily and to inspire peace in human hearts
N.A.S.A.
Our walk is an act of peace. We walk for peace in our country and the world, but we walk for peace within oursel ves first. We move slowly and silently to Notice, Appreciate, Savor, and Absorb (N.A.S.A.) all the beauty and wonder surrounding us; all the magic, mystery, and miracles that are around us all the time. In every step, we cultivate the gratitude, the love, and the positive presence that the world so deeply needs.
The Importance of Showing Up
Real and lasting change is a slow process that requires steady care and unwavering commitment. There will be moments when our practice will falter, or when we will feel too tired or discouraged to continue. Yet, the true power lies in the simple act of showing up again and again. The alternative—surrendering to a world defined by fear, negativity, and division—is simply unsustainable. Because the stakes are so high, every step we take to counter that momentum is a step worth taking. Let us keep showing up, together.
Closing
As our journey concludes, we will gather at our final destination to transition from silence into shared connection. We will share our experiences for approximately 10 minutes in groups of three. Then, formally end the walk, we will gather in a circle, creating a space of mutual respect and unity. During this time, there will be an opportunity for reflection and sharing, allowing us to voice the experiences, insights, or moments of beauty we encountered along the path. Together, we will honor the peaceful intentions we carried in our steps before we return to our daily lives.
Our gathering will conclude around 12:00 PM.
The Final Recitation
Peace in my heart brought peace to my family.
Peace in my family brought peace to my community.
Peace in my community brought peace to my nation.
Peace in my nation brought peace to the world.
There is peace on Earth and it began with me.
Contact
Piero Falci / (954) 336-6758
builders@BostonOldPath.groups.io
oldpath@BostonOldPath.groups.io
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