200 monks to conclude pad yatra with peace conference

A barefoot pad yatra by more than 200 Buddhist monks from Thailand will conclude in Ladakh with a conference on world peace and cultural heritage of the Himalayas.

"The month-long walk will come to close at the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) in Ladakh on June 26 with an international conference titled 'World Peace and Preservation of Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas'," said the organisers.

The fourth consecutive pad yatra, which initiated from Dharamsala last month, aims to divert global attention towards the revival of glory and resources in the Himalayan region, they added.

"The world has so much of aggression and violence, the most urgent need in this world is peace. In this three-day conference, we have a motive to inspire people for world peace. Everyone in this world has the power to change the world, we just need the inspiration to do it," Bhikkhu Sanghasena, founder, MIMC, said.

Famous cultural scientist and conservation specialist Susanne von der Heide, Nepalese businessman and philanthropist Binod Chaudhary, spiritual counsellor Binny Sareen will be among many other dignitaries who will be speaking at the conference.

The conference will conclude with a traditional cultural performance by students of the MIMC on June 28.