57 Thudong Monks from Three Countries Arrive in Yogyakarta, Sultan HB X Offers Warm Welcome

The Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, welcomed the arrival of Thudong monks from three countries at the Kepatihan Complex in Yogyakarta on Monday, 25 May 2026. The 57 monks participating in the 2026 Indonesia Walk for Peace (IWFP) had previously walked across islands since 9 May on a spiritual journey towards Borobudur Temple in Magelang for the 2026 Vesak commemoration. Republika’s reporting from the scene showed the monks arrived in the Malioboro area around 15:45 WIB before entering the Kepatihan Complex, where they were immediately greeted by Sultan HB X and the DIY regional government officials. The group comprised 43 monks from Thailand, four from Malaysia, three from Laos, and seven from Indonesia. They are scheduled to arrive at Borobudur Temple on 28 May. The Sultan viewed the monks’ peace walk as more than a physical journey, carrying messages of humanity and unity across nations and religions. ‘It is an honour for the DIY Regional Government to welcome and receive the bhikkhus participating in the Indonesia Walk for Peace,’ the Sultan stated at the Kepatihan Complex in Yogyakarta on Monday, 25 May 2026. ‘I believe everyone can see what we are doing here. Their purpose, as I mentioned earlier, is not just physical; it’s about humanity and togetherness,’ he added.