COLOMBO, April 29 -- A saffron-robed Buddhist monk ended a gruelling barefoot walk across Sri Lanka yesterday with an impassioned appeal for world peace and kindness towards animals.

Accompanied by a rescued stray dog, Texas-based Vietnamese monk Pannakara walked 210km to reach the capital Colombo, where he was received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans lined the route from the north-central town of Dambulla during the week-long walk to offer Pannakara and his 12 fellow monks flowers and gifts.

They were accompanied by their mascot, a stray named Aloka, meaning "light" in Sanskrit.

"If we cannot govern our own inner world with wisdom, how can we expect the outer world to remain peaceful?" Pann...