In North Carolina, the Buddhist monks reunited with their beloved dog, Aloka. Meanwhile, a pop star helps preserve the tree canopy in Charlotte and the NC Museum of Art prepares for an exciting 2026.
As a reporter in Charlotte in 2025, it felt like our city was continuously making national headlines for all the wrong reasons. This week marked a refreshing restart in the new year when a group of monks who are walking across the southeastern United States to raise awareness for peace, kindness and compassion entered the Tar Heel State through our border.
The monks have faced their share of struggles during their walk, which began in Fort Worth, Texas, in October. Two of the original 20 were injured, one so seriously that his leg needed to be amputated, when a car struck their escort vehicle outside Dayton, Texas. Then their beloved dog Aloka had to leave the procession to undergo emergency surgery for a worsening leg injury in Charleston.
https://new.cardinalpine.com/local/nc-stops-buddhist-monks-walk-for-peace/
Things have brightened since the monks’ arrival in North Carolina, however, thanks to a long-awaited reunion that occurred on Thursday. I couldn’t think of a better to kick off the latest Good News Friday.
‘Walk for Peace’ Buddhist monks reunite with Aloka
Hundreds of residents lined up on both sides of the state border to greet the procession of monks on their Walk for Peace as they crossed from Rock Hill, S.C., into Charlotte on Wednesday evening. Everywhere the procession went from there, huge crowds awaited.
One of the marching monks’ biggest fans was waiting for them when they arrived at one of their Charlotte stops.
“The moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived! Aloka has finally been reunited with the venerable monks in Charlotte,” read a Facebook post from the official Walk for Peace account, including a video of the reunion. “As soon as he saw them, his tail started wagging with so much joy—it was truly a beautiful sight to see…This brief visit has brought so many smiles and a wonderful sense of peace to the whole team.”
The monks reached the zMAX Dragway in Concord on Thursday night, where they addressed a large crowd that braved the cold to hear their “peace sharing talk.” They have plenty more stops scheduled throughout the state in the coming days, and you can track them on this interactive map that’s updated every 15 minutes to an hour at the Walk for Peace webpage.
Billie Eilish becomes unanticipated hero for Charlotte’s tree canopy
When pop star Billie Eilish came through Charlotte for two stops on her “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour in October, fans enjoyed the sold-out shows and figured that was the end of it. Not so fast.
This week, the team at TreesCharlotte, a nonprofit that advocates for the preservation and growth of its namesake city’s tree canopy, announced they’ve been awarded a significant grant from Eilish’s Changemaker program, which distributes tour proceeds to nonprofit organizations along her tour route.
https://new.cardinalpine.com/local/endangered-species-act-rollbacks-nc/
“It is refreshing to see talented young artists like Billie Eilish share a commitment to the health, sustainability, and future of our tree canopy,” said Allison Rhodes, executive director at TreesCharlotte. “We are honored to have received a Changemaker grant and appreciate the partnership and dedication it represents.”
Altogether, the tour raised $11.5 million to help support organizations, projects, and voices dedicated to food equity, climate justice, reducing carbon pollution, and supporting other crucial environmental work in combating the climate crisis.
Eilish also made a two-night stop in Raleigh last October, though it’s unclear at the time of this writing which nonprofit in the capital city was awarded a Changemaker grant. We can’t wait to find out!
NC Museum of Art unveils slate of 2026 exhibitions
The North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh unveiled an overview of the exhibitions it plans to host in 2026 on Thursday, providing art lovers with an itinerary they can plan around for a trip to the state capital this year.
Beginning with the spring return of “Art in Bloom,” the NCMA’s beloved festival of art and flowers, the museum will also host new exhibits exploring the continuing legacies of the American West and the glorious history of ancient Egypt’s southern rival, Nubia.
Scheduled from March 18-22, “Art in Bloom” is a five-day festival for which floral designers from across the state interpret artwork and objects in the NCMA’s People’s Collection. This year’s theme, “Written in the Stars,” takes inspiration from the astrological zodiac.
“Knowing the West,” an exhibit that’s set to show from May 2-Aug. 9, embraces and reexamines perceptions of the American West to create more inclusive and complex dialogues, according to a release.
The museum’s final feature, “Ancient Nubia: Excavating Treasures of the Nile,” will run from Oct. 17-Jan. 10, presenting nearly 3,000 years of Nubian history through materials recovered from Kushite tombs and pyramids nearly a century ago.
View this post on Instagram
