PATHUM, Thailand (CNN) -- CNN iReporter Amy Kittiudom, of Pathum, Thailand, and her cameraman, Pok Hattapol, shot these pictures of thousands gathered at The Dhammakaya Foundation in honor of Earth Day on Sunday, April 22.
"Earth Day is a day for promoting environmental awareness," she says. "For Wat Phra Dhammakaya to organize an event on Earth Day for people and Buddhist monks from all over Thailand and other countries in the world to come together and meditate is something that can really make this world a better place."
She says this event occurs every year on Earth Day at the foundation, however, the casting of the golden image of Phramongkolthepmuni does not.
"Meditation is the key for purifying your mind, a purified mind will create inner peace and inner happiness, in turn it will eventually lead to outer peace to make this world a better place," she says. "I believe that we shouldn't only focus on environmental awareness, but also focus on spiritual awareness."