Bali Governor Urges Residents to Support Monks' Spiritual "IWFP" Activity
Denpasar (ANTARA) - Bali Governor Wayan Koster has urged the entire community and local governments along the route traversed by the monks participating in the Indonesia Walk For Peace (IWFP) to support the spiritual journey.
“We all have a responsibility to support it so that everything runs smoothly and successfully; we join in praying that this 20-day journey proceeds without any obstacles and reaches its destination safely,” he said in an official statement from the Bali Provincial Government in Denpasar on Sunday.
While releasing the monks’ journey from Brahma Vihara Arama in Buleleng Regency, Koster expressed respect for all participants undertaking the long journey with full enthusiasm and spiritual discipline.
“We ‘respect’, we honour them all; applause for the noble monks,” he stated.
According to him, the spiritual journey combined with the IWFP 2026 peace campaign is highly aligned with the vision of developing Bali Nangun Sat Kerthi Loka Bali, where the Bali Provincial Government emphasises the importance of preserving the sanctity and harmony of Bali’s natural environment and its contents.
A total of 50 monks from Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Indonesia began the journey from Bali to Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java.
Therefore, support from the community and local governments in the areas traversed by the monks walking thousands of kilometres over 20 days is crucial.
According to Governor Koster, IWFP 2026 is not merely a Buddhist religious ritual but a strong symbol of tolerance, brotherhood, and a message of world peace emanating from Bali.
“This is something very sacred, a holy journey in commemoration of Vesak Day on 31 May, departing on 9 May and scheduled to arrive on 28 May, approximately 20 days of travel; this is a determination, a noble and pure intention, something extraordinary that we are seeing for the first time,” he said.
The Bali Provincial Government believes that the holy journey of the monks will attract international attention as it carries a universal message about peace and tolerance.
Koster hopes that the peaceful journey can serve as a source of inspiration for the people of Bali, Indonesia, and even the international community to continue upholding tolerance and brotherhood amid diversity.
“May this activity, carried out with noble and pure intentions, truly become a source of inspiration for us all, not only for the people of Bali but also for the people and nation of Indonesia to always live with full tolerance and peace,” he said.
The cross-regional peaceful journey is also expected to provide positive energy and vibrations of peace to the global community.
During the release of the IWFP 2026 journey on Saturday (9/5), Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Romo R. Muhammad Syafi’i was also present, stating that the spiritual tradition undertaken by the monks demonstrates that values of tolerance and peace have long been alive in the archipelago.
“We appreciate it; before we implemented policies of tolerance and moderation, this nation already had the same foundation, namely how religious communities set aside selfish desires and spread peace,” he said.
By providing interfaith support for the activity, it becomes concrete evidence that all religions teach values of compassion, brotherhood, and tolerance.
“Well, that is proof that all our religions teach peace, brotherhood, compassion, and tolerance,” the Deputy Minister stated.