Blessings for
Buford Highway
Saturday, November 21, 2026
9:45 AM–1:45 PM
As the holidays approach, join us for a FREE, peaceful, family-friendly gathering to celebrate compassion, gratitude, unity, and our shared humanity.
This gathering holds special meaning. November 19 marks one year since Phra Ajarn Maha Dam Phommasan's accident during the Walk for Peace journey from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. What began as a moment of hardship has become a powerful reminder of resilience, mindfulness, and the strength of community.
Join the community as we come together to set our intentions and dedicate them to peace, compassion, and the well-being of all.
We may come from different cultures, speak different languages, and follow different traditions, but our shared humanity brings us together. Through kindness and compassion, we remind one another that no one has to walk alone.
No One Walks Alone
This gathering is made possible by the organizations and neighbors who share our love for this community. We proudly collaborate with Asian Square, Northeast Plaza, and the Peachtree Creek Greenway.
Choose the locations that work best for you, based on your availability and preferences. We also encourage attendees to patronize the businesses at these locations
Photo by Leah Yetter
Agenda
Please note that the Blessings for Buford Highway schedule is subject to change. We kindly ask for your patience, kindess, and understanding as we work to serve our community.
Location 1
Asian Square
Intention Setting
In Buddhism, intention is a foundational force shaping our experience and spiritual awakening. It is not about chasing future goals or forcing outcomes. Instead, it is a present-moment practice of aligning your mind, speech, and actions with core ethical values while wishing happiness and peace for all beings.
9:45 AM
Gather at Paris Banh Mi at Asian Square — View on Google Maps
10:00–11:15 AM
Welcome and Blessings
- Welcome by the Mayor of Doraville, Joseph Geierman, and the Executive Director of We Love Buford Highway, Lily Pabian
- Dharma talk by monastics
- Monastics walk around the square to bless businesses
- Blessed strings distribution
11:30 AM–12:00 PM
Monastics eat lunch at Paris Banh Mi
Lunch graciously offered by Paris Banh Mi. Attendees are encouraged to patronize the surrounding Asian Square businesses.
12:00–12:15 PM
Travel to Northeast Plaza
Approximately 4 miles, an 11-minute drive.
“We are here to awaken from our illusion of separateness.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese monk and peace activist
Location 2
Northeast Plaza
Community and Care
No One Walks Alone.
In Buddhism, we understand that everything is connected and that we depend on one another. When we care for ourselves, each other, and the places we share, our whole community can thrive.
12:15–1:00 PM
Blessings at Northeast Plaza
Meet at the Mi Gente Mural by Yehimi Cambrón next to NCG Cinemas — View on Google Maps
Approximately an 11-minute drive from Asian Square
- Welcome by John J. Funny, District 4 Council Representative, Latisha Foote from Lynwood Church, and Zaki Anwer from Masjid Abu Bakr Mosque
- Blessing prayers and a Dharma talk by monastics
- Blessings and strings distribution
- Open discussion
1:00–1:20 PM
Walking Meditation
Along the sidewalk of Briarwood Road to Peachtree Creek Greenway (20-minute walk).
Please stay on the sidewalk and walk mindfully.
You’re welcome to create a sign sharing what “No One Walks Alone” means to you and carry it along the journey.
Location 3
(please park at Northeast Plaza)
Peachtree Creek Greenway
Closing Dedication
A moment to reflect and dedicate our collective energy to the happiness of all beings.
1:20–1:45 PM
Welcome Message
Welcome message from Rhonda Fox, Volunteer Director and coordinator for the Peachtree Creek Greenway.
(Public restroom is available at the Brookhaven Police Department.)
Bodhicitta Chant & Open Discussion
Bodhicitta chant by Tibetan monks, followed by an open discussion.
Closing Dedication
Closing dedication for the happiness of all beings and blessed strings distribution.
Venerable Phra Ajarn Maha Dam Phommasan recently spoke about peace at an interfaith event at the Carter Center.
Watch this inspiring message ahead of our gathering.
Meet our Buddhist Monastics
Venerable Phra Ajarn Maha Dam Phommasan
Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan is the abbot of Wat Lao Buddha Khanti in Snellville, Georgia, where he serves the Lao Buddhist community and the wider public through teachings, ceremonies, and compassionate care. Known for his humility and dedication to peace, he offers guidance rooted in the Theravada tradition and lived experience.
Ven. Maha Dam has also supported interfaith and peacebuilding efforts beyond the temple. He was an original participant in the Walk for Peace, joining when the pilgrimage began in Fort Worth, Texas, and later welcoming the Walk to his temple during its journey to Washington, D.C. His resilience and generosity—especially during his recovery from a serious accident during the pilgrimage—embody the very meaning of his temple’s name, Khanti (Pāli), which refers to patient endurance, forbearance, and gentle strength—qualities at the heart of Buddhist practice.
Venerable Priya Sraman
Venerable Priya Sraman currently serves as the Buddhist Chaplain at Emory University, where he supports Emory's diverse Buddhist and mindfulness communities through weekly gatherings, pastoral care, educational programs, and interfaith engagement as part of the university's multifaith chaplaincy team. Before coming to Emory, he spent four years as the Buddhist Chaplain at Tufts University, offering spiritual care, leading Dharma practice groups, and collaborating with local monastics to bring teachings to campus. An ordained Theravada bhikkhu who has lived and practiced across South and Southeast Asia, Ven. Priya brings a rare blend of classical training and contemporary insight.
Geshe Thupten Wangden
Geshe Thupten Wangden entered monastic life at age ten and later continued his education in India, where he spent eighteen years studying at Drepung Monastery and earned the Geshe degree, the highest level of training in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. He now works at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Brookhaven, Georgia.
He is the head monk of the Mystical Arts of Tibet, a world tour endorsed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to promote world peace and healing by sharing Tibet’s rich and authentic sacred performing and visual arts.
Geshe Tashi Tsering
Geshe Tashi Tsering entered monastic life at age eleven and later continued his education in India, where he spent twenty-four years studying at Drepung Monastery and earned the Geshe degree, the highest level of training in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. He later served in monastery administration and now works at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Brookhaven, Georgia.
Venerable Jampa Thakchoe
Venerable Jampa Thakchoe is a Tibetan monk from Sera Jey Monastery and a current Tenzin Gyatso Science Scholar at Emory University. With more than 18 years of traditional Buddhist training, he has completed extensive studies in Buddhist philosophy—including Madhyamika (Middle Way), Paramita (Perfection of Wisdom), and monastic debate—and also holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from India.
His work bridges traditional Buddhist philosophy with modern scientific research, including collaborations with the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative, the University of Groningen, and the University of Wisconsin. Jampa-la’s teachings illuminate the intersection of Dharma wisdom and contemplative science.
He will be joined by other monastic scholars from Emory University.
Venerable Sister Ngo-Tam (Awaken-Mind) is a Vietnamese-American Zen Buddhist nun. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1989 and was ordained in 2010 at Bao Chon Monastery in New Hampshire by her root teacher, Venerable Tue Man, in the Bamboo Forest Vietnamese Zen Tradition. While practicing at the monastery in New Hampshire and later in San Diego, California, Sister Ngo-Tam assisted with the Children Dharma Group Sunday Program. She enjoys spending time with children and sharing short Dharma stories that bring joy and meaning to their practice.
Sister Ngo-Tam moved to Atlanta from California two years ago and is establishing Tam Chau Zen Monastery in Loganville, where she serves as abbess. She hopes to create a youth program there and bring the Dharma alive for the younger generation.
Venerable Sister Thiền Châu is a Vietnamese-American Zen Buddhist nun in the Bamboo Forest Vietnamese Zen Tradition. Ordained in the United States in 2014, she is dedicated to cultivating mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom through Buddhist practice and community service.
Two years ago, Venerable Sister Thiền Châu relocated from California to the Atlanta area with Sister Ngộ Tâm. Together, they are establishing Tam Chau Zen Monastery in Loganville, Georgia, creating a welcoming space for meditation, spiritual practice, and the sharing of Buddhist teachings with the local community.
Buddhist Prayers
Blessings Along the Way
Three beloved prayers, chanted for centuries, to carry peace, compassion, and loving-kindness during our event.
Bhavatu Sabba Maṅgalam
A Pali blessing of protection and well-being, wishing that all blessings come to every being, often recited at the close of a chant. Full prayer here.
Karaniya Metta Sutta
The Buddha's Words on Loving-kindness — a timeless discourse on cultivating boundless goodwill toward all living beings. Full prayer here.
Bodhisattva Prayer
A Bodhisattva's aspiration to remain in the world until all beings are free from suffering. Full prayer here.
Offerings for the Community
There is no cost to attend this event, but you are encouraged to support the small and local businesses on Buford Highway. If you would like to offer dana—a Buddhist practice of generosity through voluntary giving, often to support monastics and their spiritual community—you are welcome to contribute in person.
You can also support We Love Buford Highway and its mission to preserve the multicultural identity of Atlanta’s Buford Highway corridor, and its vision of a thriving community where immigrant families, small businesses, and artists build shared prosperity through connection, storytelling, and belonging.
Walking route from Northeast Plaza to Peachtree Creek Greenway
Plan Your Day
Weather & Walking Map
Atlanta, Georgia · Saturday, November 21
High 68°F / Low 53°F
Sunny during the day and partly cloudy at night.
Other Partners
