Giant puppet Amal's journey across Europe highlights migrant children crisis
The Walk, recognized as the longest traveling festival, recently made its way through Brussels. On October 6, the 3.5-meter puppet named Little Amal journeyed from Place de la Monnaie to the former slaughterhouse in Anderlecht. Since July 27, Little Amal has been on a mission across Europe to shed light on the challenges faced by unaccompanied migrant children, with the goal of arriving in Manchester by November 2. This initiative began when Amal, a 9-year-old Syrian girl, encountered producers from Good Chance Theatre in the Calais Jungle. Producer Tracey Seaward highlighted the importance of giving refugees dignity and a voice. Little Amal has met the Pope and showcased performances in various cities, including a piece titled 'Chased' in Brussels, crafted by the Handspring Puppet Company.
Key facts
- Little Amal is a 3.5-meter-tall puppet representing a 9-year-old Syrian migrant girl.
- The Walk festival started July 27, 2021 in Gaziantep, Turkey and ends November 2, 2021 in Manchester, UK.
- The journey covers 8,000 km through Greece, Italy, Switzerland, France, and Belgium.
- Good Chance Theatre, founded in 2015, initiated the project after the Calais Jungle encounter.
- Tracey Seaward, Oscar-winning producer of The Crown, is one of four producers.
- Amir Nizar Zuabi is artistic director of Good Chance Theatre.
- Handspring Puppet Company of Cape Town built the puppet, known for War Horse.
- The puppet uses a digital element for eye control, a first for the company.
- Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui created the Brussels performance 'Chased'.
- Golden Dawn, a Greek ultranationalist party, attempted to destroy the puppet.
Entities
Artists
- Amal
- Tracey Seaward
- Stephen Frears
- Amir Nizar Zuabi
- Jack Ellis
- Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
- James Dee
- Leonardo Delfanti
Institutions
- Good Chance Theatre
- Handspring Puppet Company
- Netflix
- The Guardian
- Bxlrefugees
- Manchester International Festival
- Artribune
Locations
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Place de la Monnaie
- Anderlecht
- Gaziantep
- Turkey
- Manchester
- United Kingdom
- Greece
- Italy
- Switzerland
- France
- Calais
- Athens
- Rome
- Marseille
- Cologne
- Cape Town
- South Africa