Amal's journey through Europe

The aim of "The Walk" theatre project is to draw attention to the fate of unaccompanied minors – and takes a 3.5-metre doll, intended to represent a Syrian refugee girl, across Europe. By Claudia Dehn

  • Little Amal puppet in Turkey (photo: Eren Bozkurt/Anadolu Agency)
    Searching for her mother: the not-so-little "Little Amal" is a 3.5 metre tall puppet representing a nine-year-old Syrian girl, created by the Handspring Puppet Company from South Africa. In the theatre project "The Walk", her life story is told as she searches for her mother and for safety. Her journey begins in Turkey
  • LIttle Amal hugging the bronze state "Angels Unawares" on St. Peter's Square in the Vatikan on 10.09.2021 (photo: Reuters/Remo Casilli/TPX Images of the Day)
    Amal in the Vatican: the theatre project aims to draw attention to the situation of unaccompanied child refugees. On her journey, "Little Amal" meets many people and gets to see a lot. Here she is hugging the bronze sculpture "Angels Unawares" by the artist Timothy Schmalz, which has been installed in St Peter's Square in the Vatican since the 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees
  • Little Amal receives a blessing from the Pope along with a group of children and teenagers (photo: Vatican Media Handout via Reuters)
    Audience with the Pope: Pope Francis receives the doll and a group of children for an audience and blesses them on 10 September 2021. Refugee children like Amal are among the most vulnerable and in need of everyone's hospitality, said Cardinal Michael Czerny, head of the Vatikan department for refugee concerns
  • Little Amal receives floral tributes in Rome (photo: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)
    Much sympathy: wherever "Little Amal" appears, she draws crowds. Some hold lovingly designed "Welcome" banners in the air or even give her flowers. In Rome, Amal explores the city on 12 September 2021. The puppet is controlled by a group of four puppeteers
  • Little Amal in front of the EU parliament building in Strasbourg, France (photo; Frederick Florin/AFP/Getty Images)
    Letters to the European Parliament: "We call on children from all over the world to write letters for children like Amal, which we shall deliver to the European parliament. We use the tools we have: images, beauty, art and different communities" says Claire Bejanin, who organised the puppet walk in a number of countries. Then, on 30 October, a warm reception was held in front of the EU parliament
  • Little Amal theatre performance in Milan (photo: Piero Cruciatti/Anadolu Agency)
    Theatre piece in Milan: to draw attention to the problems of young unaccompanied refugees, the 3.5 metre tall puppet has not simply been walking through the cities, but theatre performances have also been held, as here in Milan. A stilt walker inside her operates a complex system of strings that controls her facial expressions
  • Little Amal in front of Cologne Cathedral, 02.10.2021 (photo: Ying Tang/NurPhoto)
    Amal in front of Cologne Cathedral: meanwhile, Amal reached the Domplatte in Cologne. There she was surrounded and greeted by many people. Some, in festive dress, even tried to dance with her. Amal's goal is Manchester in the United Kingdom. But first, the theatre project "The Walk" will stop in Belgium