IWFP: A Long Road to Peace
Indonesia Walk for Peace offers an important lesson that true peace does not always appear in large world forums. Sometimes it emerges from small steps on the highway, from citizens giving water to strangers, from homes.
Surabaya (ANTARA) - The midday heat on Jalan Ahmad Yani, Surabaya, in mid-May was scorching. Traffic flowed heavily, car horns honked, and people rushed to take care of their business.
But in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city, the slow steps of monks in brown robes created a different atmosphere. They walked without rushing, heads bowed, carrying simple bags, and walked along the highway with a calm that was almost in contrast to the rhythm of the modern city.
On the sidewalk, people stopped for a moment to look. There were drivers who slowed down, small traders who waved, children who took pictures with their cellphones, and people of different religions who joined in offering drinks.
The sight may be simple, but in a world that is increasingly noisy with social polarization, identity conflicts, and political tensions, the monks’ journey in the Indonesia Walk for Peace (IWFP) 2026 feels like a reminder that comes at the right time.
IWFP is not just a spiritual journey to Borobudur to welcome Vesak. More than that, it is a symbol of how Indonesia is truly imagined as a country that is diverse but still able to walk together.
As many as 57 monks from Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, and Indonesia walked more than 600 kilometers from Bali to Borobudur. They crossed cities in East Java, stopped at temples, even mosques, while carrying messages of peace and compassion.
In Banyuwangi, the monks were welcomed by people of different religions at the Tik Liong Tian Rogojampi temple. In Surabaya, the group stopped at the Al Akbar National Mosque before continuing their journey to a temple. In Bali, local governments and village communities helped escort them.
Interestingly, the warm welcome did not only come from Buddhists. Many Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and the general public helped with the journey. In the digital space, which is often filled with identity conflicts, such a sight feels increasingly rare and calming.
Steps of tolerance
Indonesia has often been praised as a diverse country that is able to maintain harmony. However, in recent years, challenges to tolerance have become increasingly apparent.
Social media makes differences easy to oppose. Identity politics emerged in almost every political moment. Even public spaces are often filled with suspicion of different groups.
Therefore, Indonesia Walk for Peace is interesting not only because of its spiritual journey, but also because it presents tolerance in a concrete and visible form.