Martin Luther King Jr. Parade 2018 - HFBWA banner

Members of the Hawaii Federation of Buddhist Women’s Associations were joined by Bishop Eric Matsumoto; students, faculty, and staff of Pacific Buddhist Academy; members of the Junior Young Buddhists Association (Jr. YBA); and members of Hawaii Betsuin and other temples in the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Parade through Waikiki.

Many parade participants in the Honpa Hongwanji group presented origami cranes to children and other festival-goers along the way, producing smiles of delight. Others carried signs and banners with messages connected to peace, Buddhism, and/or quotations from Martin Luther King Jr.

A Pacific Buddhist Academy bus accompanied the group, allowing greater participation — those who preferred riding to walking were able to ride the bus and display peace cranes out the open windows.

Thanks to all who joined in person and in spirit! This is a tradition that is sure to continue. Please join us again in 2019!

Additional photos – click for larger size:

Martin Luther King Jr. Parade 2018 - Share Peace signs at the start

Getting ready — Share Peace signs and PBA buses

Martin Luther King Jr. Parade 2018 - Share Peace signs at the start

Hawaii Betsuin’s Rev. Yuika Hasebe and Board President Dexter Mar just after the parade

Martin Luther King Jr. Parade 2018 - Bishop Matsumoto with Penny and David Atcheson with MLK photo and quotation, "It all boils down to this: that all life is interrelated."

Bishop Eric Matsumoto with Hawaii Betsuin members Penny and David Atcheson

A version of this story first appeared on the website of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii.