[Boston, Massachusetts, City image. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

Little Amal, a giant puppet representing a Syrian refugee, has started a marching tour across the United States on September 8th, 2023.

The aim of the tour is to spread the narratives of refugees, fostering awareness through engaging events focused on war displacement, orphans of war, and the broader refugee experience.

The artistic director of Chicago Children’s Theater emphasized the importance of reaching communities reflective of Little Amal, stating, “We needed to take this to a community that is really so reflective of Little Amal, so we’re going to be able to reach families that otherwise couldn’t access this. So for us, this really became about a community we could serve with this event.”

Little Amal, accompanied by her puppeteers, aims to create more than 100 events involving over 1,000 artists and organizations.

She symbolizes a Syrian refugee girl who is searching for her mother, echoing the stories of countless displaced children.

Lauren West of Syrian Community Network said, “She had to leave her homeland of Syria and is searching for her next home,” adding another layer to Little Amal’s narrative.

As she walks across the country, the puppet serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by displaced children, lacking family, education, and resources.

The marching tour is scheduled until early November, encompassing visits to significant U.S. landmarks, such as Joshua Tree National Park and Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Little Amal will be visiting 35 towns and cities during this journey.

Standing at 3.5 meters tall, Little Amal is a remarkable puppet with articulated movements, requiring four puppeteers for assistance: 2 people for her arms, 1 person holding her in the back, and 1 person inside the puppet for walking.

Crafted from cane and carbon fiber, she was created in 2021 by the renowned puppet company, the Handspring Puppet Company, known for their work on the acclaimed play “War Horse.”

The tour’s inception involved collaboration between the Handspring Puppet company, the British production company The Walk production, and Good Chance theater.

Little Amal’s connection to Good Chance Theater traces back to the play ‘The Jungle,’ set in a refugee camp.

The tour, named “The Walk”, commenced in July 2021, with Little Amal embarking on a journey from Syria.

Covering more than 8,000 kilometers across 15 countries, she has evolved into a symbol of refugees.

Since the word ‘Amal’ means hope in Arabic, it carries a message of hope for refugees, displaced people, and those who are separated from their families.

Notable figures, such as Pope Francis and the Mayor of Barnsley, welcomed her along the way.

The project, aimed at celebrating cultural diversity and raising awareness about migration, is also a fundraising initiative.

Supported by organizations like Bloomberg Philanthropies, it has raised $330,000 of its $5 million goal to aid refugees with food, housing, and sanitary needs.