Thursday 26 May 2022

Little Amal to journey through England, and visit Liverpool during World Refugee Week 19 – 27 June 2022 to meet new friends and share a message of hope. 

Since her now celebrated 8,000km journey from the border of Syria and Turkey, Little Amal, a 3.5 metre puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian girl refugee, has become an international symbol of human rights. She has come to represent the millions of refugee children including those who have been separated from their families.

One year on from leaving Syria and 5 weeks after her visit to the city of Lviv in Ukraine, she will take part in World Refugee Week by visiting 10 towns and cities across England meeting old friends and making new ones. As always, Amal will be sharing her message of resilience and hope with anyone who has been forced to leave their homes.

Starting in Manchester as part of the city’s now iconic Manchester Day parade, Little Amal’s journey includes spending morning at the ancient stones of Stonehenge, walking through the famous docks of Liverpool, exploring the joys that books can bring in Bradford and Leeds, exploring the Old City and Harbour of Bristol, celebrating with the many festivals of Cheltenham, and dancing in Canterbury and in London. Her journey will end in Folkestone, Kent where she arrived in the UK, standing on the shore remembering the life she left behind in Syria and her very first day in her new home.

Mark Da Vanzo, CEO at Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres said:
“Liverpool has always opened its arms to embrace migrants and refugees. As we look forward to sharing our city with Amal to explore, we know the footsteps she takes will be familiar to many of the Syrian, El Salvadorian and Afghani refugee families we hav eworked with over the years. Arts and culture are powerful ways to create connection and understanding, so our hope is that Amal’s visit will build on the work we’ve been doing and that of our cultural partners, including Museum of Liverpool, Tate Liverpool, Unity and SOLA Arts, serving as a reminder to us all to continue to welcome those who seek sanctuary. ”

Amir Nizar Zuabi, Artistic Director of The Walk, said:
“As the invasion of Ukraine began the whole world, governments and citizens, proved that when we’re willing to respond to the urgent needs of refugees we can accomplish astonishing feats of compassion and generosity. New Steps, New Friends, Amal’s Walk through England in June will remind us that, if we choose, we can welcome and care for all refugees, regardless of their skin colour, their religion or their background.”

Little Amal’s itinerary is:

• Sunday 19 June – Amal will start her journey in Manchester, the city she has called her home since arriving in the UK last year. She will join thousands of children and families as they celebrate Manchester Day, as part of the iconic Manchester Day parade which is this year dedicated to young people.

• Monday 20 June – On World Refugee Day, Amal will visit Bradford, one of the most culturally diverse and youngest populations in the United Kingdom. She will take gifts from the children of Bradford to children in Leeds, where she will explore the city centre with her new friends.

• Tuesday 21 June – Amal will learn about England’s complex history of migration at the docks of Liverpool, a place of arrival and departure for hundreds of years. More information here.

• Thursday 23 June – Amal will walk through the festival town, Cheltenham where she will be dancing and celebrating with children and families.

• Friday 24 June – Amal will explore Bristol’s historic Old City and harbour with local artists and community.

• Saturday 25 June – Amal will visit Stonehenge to meet the ancient stones. She will then head to London to see old friends at the Southbank Centre who welcome her to a DJ Dance Party for children and families.

• Monday 27 June – Amal will dance a Dabke at the University of Kent ‘Youth Summit’, bringing young people together again after many years of learning online. Later that evening, Amal will stand on the beach in Folkestone, moments away from where she first arrived to the UK last year.

It takes three puppeteers to operate Little Amal, a stilt walker whose legs become Amal’s and who also animates her face one puppeteer on each of her arms. There is a team of ten puppeteers, some from refugee backgrounds. The puppet is crafted from moulded cane and carbon fibre.

Little Amal represents the millions of refugee children separated from their families. Her urgent message to the world is “Don’t forget about us”. The Walk is produced by David Lan, Tracey Seaward and Stephen Daldry for The Walk Productions in association with the Handspring Puppet Company and led by artistic director Amir Nizar Zuabi.

New Steps, New Friends is supported by Choose Love.