Little Amal in Manchester: producer hails warm welcome for giant puppet of Syrian refugee girl

The team behind this epic project are now looking forward to the city hosting the grand finale this week.
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Little Amal, the giant puppet representing a young Syrian refugee girl, has received a warm welcome in Greater Manchester.

The team behind the puppet’s astonishing 8,000km journey across Europe is now looking forward to the end of the epic project in Manchester on Wednesday (3 November).

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A UK producer for the enormous undertaking spoke of the backing of Manchester International Festival for Little Amal’s journey and the city’s reputation as a welcoming sanctuary for those fleeing war and persecution.

What is Little Amal and when is she in Manchester?

Little Amal is a 3.5m tall puppet representing a nine-year-old Syrian refugee girl.

She set off on an 8,000km odyssey across Europe from the Turkish-Syrian border in a search for her mother.

The public art project is being put together by Good Chance, led by its artistic director Amir Nizar Zuabi, in association with Handspring Puppet Company which were involved in the show War Horse.

The Little Amal puppet in Chios, Greece. Photo: Sokratis Baltagiannis/UNHCRThe Little Amal puppet in Chios, Greece. Photo: Sokratis Baltagiannis/UNHCR
The Little Amal puppet in Chios, Greece. Photo: Sokratis Baltagiannis/UNHCR
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Now Little Amal’s journey, which represents the experiences of all those who have been forced out of their homes, is coming to an end here in Manchester.

Her trip will finish on Wednesday evening at a sold-out public event at the Castlefield Bowl called When the Birds Land.

She is already in Greater Manchester and attracted huge crowds, despite the pouring rain, to see her in Wigan on Sunday (31 October).

Ahead of the finale of the project Little Amal will also be in Rochdale tomorrow (Tuesday 2 November).

How have the project leaders viewed the reaction to Little Amal?

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Amaya Jeyarajah Dent, UK producer for Little Amal’s journey which has been called The Walk, was delighted by the public response to her appearance in Wigan at the weekend.

She is hoping for more of the same on Wednesday, given Manchester’s reputation as somewhere that has welcomed refugees and asylum seekers.

Along with the support of Manchester International Festival (MIF), this is a major reason why the city has been chosen as the final point for The Walk.

Amaya said: “Wigan was wet, cheerful and really busy. It was beautiful with the turnout despite the inclement weather.

A huge crowd braves the rain to see Little Amal in WiganA huge crowd braves the rain to see Little Amal in Wigan
A huge crowd braves the rain to see Little Amal in Wigan
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“Amal has been exploring different landscapes and places and having interactions on the streets with people who weren’t necessarily expecting her to be there.

“We really felt like we could co-operate with Manchester International Festival to create an amazing end to this epic journey here. Manchester is also a city of such diversity and a city of sanctuary for many people.

“We’re hoping for another brilliant turnout on Wednesday, as we have had across the whole country. The UK has been really brilliant.

“We’re hoping that all the poignant and complicated bits of Amal’s story and her journey will be explored.

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“We want to inspire those essential but sometimes tricky conversations among the communities here, and we aspire to bring together a massively broad range of people in the audience.

“There’s a lot we want Little Amal’s legacy to be but something we know we can achieve is an improved sense of community cohesion and a better understanding of diverse communities.”

How is Little Amal being welcomed to Manchester?

The event in Manchester, which starts at 7pm on Wednesday, will involve people from across Manchester greeting Little Amal through live music and song, puppetry and dance.

When the Birds Land has been created through collaboration with an advisory group created by MIF made up of refugees and asylum seekers and their allies as well as a creative team that includes renowned puppeteer Sarah Wright and which is led by film and theatre director Simon Stone.

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Manchester Street Poem, an art collective of people with experience of homelessness, have created a book of stories for Little Amal, while organisations which support asylum seekers Caring and Sharing, Rethink Rebuild Society and the Support for Wigan Arrivals Project have made her a patchwork quilt with local artist Ibukun Baldwin.

‘It’s not all roses and poems’

While most people who have encountered Little Amal on her journey through Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium have enjoyed the opportunity, there have been some examples of hostility towards her.

This obviously reflects the experiences of human refugees, some of whom do not receive a positive reception where the arrive, and Amaya says it was crucial that The Walk explored this.

She said: “The overwhelming response and reaction has been positive: warm, excited and curious.

Little Amal is a giant puppet of a Syrian refugee girl travelling across thousands of miles of Europe to Manchester. Photo: Bevan RossLittle Amal is a giant puppet of a Syrian refugee girl travelling across thousands of miles of Europe to Manchester. Photo: Bevan Ross
Little Amal is a giant puppet of a Syrian refugee girl travelling across thousands of miles of Europe to Manchester. Photo: Bevan Ross

“We have had a couple of tricky moments.

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“We have not wanted it to be all roses and poems, because that is not how the UK or the world feels about refugees. It was important to show both sides of the story.

“Refugees and asylum seekers, and the global movement of people, is a reality in 2021 and will continue to be our reality.

“This is non-arguable, this is where we are.

“The project is about encouraging people to really think about how we welcome Amal and the community she represents.

“The hostile environment is a real thing and we knew we were dealing with a topical issue that could be a tricky subject because people have very different opinions on it. That is an important part of the project.”

A huge journey coming to an end

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For Amaya the end of The Walk being in Manchester also has a personal significance as she lived in the city for four years, studying at the University of Manchester and then working here.

She said approaching the end of such a massive undertaking, which began at Gaziantep in Turkey in late July, brings mixed feelings.

Little Amal in Greece. Photo: Sokratis Baltagiannis/UNHCRLittle Amal in Greece. Photo: Sokratis Baltagiannis/UNHCR
Little Amal in Greece. Photo: Sokratis Baltagiannis/UNHCR

Amaya said: “We’re all really excited to be here in Manchester, and I love the city. It’s where I first got into my career producing large-scale public events so for me this is really lovely. In a sense it’s like coming home.

“As a whole the team is thrilled but it’s also strange that we won’t be getting up the next day to deliver our next gig and won’t be on the move.”

What is next for Little Amal?

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As Little Amal’s long journey across the continent comes to a close, Amaya says they are hoping she will be doing more events in the future.

She said: “Although her journey has been an epic, it is likely just beginning.

“Keep your eyes peeled, because this won’t be the last you see of Little Amal.”