Little Amal: Giant puppet of refugee girl returns to London this week

Little Amal has returned to London this week in the wake of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A giant puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl, has returned to London this week in the wake of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Little Amal, the 3.5 metre puppet, was created in collaboration with Good Chance theatre company and the creators of War Horse, Handspring Puppet Company, to raise awareness of the refugee crisis.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Little Amal previously visited London in 2021 on her journey from Syria to Manchester and again in 2022.

The giant puppet is returning to the capital to raise funds for displaced refugee children around the world, with a particular emphasis on those most recently impacted by the devastating earthquakes.

Little Amal is a giant puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl. Credit: Getty ImagesLittle Amal is a giant puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl. Credit: Getty Images
Little Amal is a giant puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl. Credit: Getty Images

The new events find Little Amal partnering with Choose Love, as she walks across the capital.

On Wednesday she kicked off her London visit in Paternoster Square, St Pauls, journeying through Bloomberg Arcade and Leadenhall Market, before finishing at the Tower of London.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Following her visit to London, Little Amal will visit Brighton for the first time on March 30.

In Brighton she will be leading a procession along Brighton beach, and she will meet with children and families who have sought safety and asylum in the UK.

She will then lead a sponsored walk through Hampstead Heath on Saturday April 1.

As Easter, Passover and Ramadan coincide, Amal’s London tour will conclude with an interfaith celebration on Sunday April 2 as the London Borough of Camden becomes a ‘Borough of Sanctuary’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She will start her day at the Jewish Community Centre on Finchley Road and Lymington Road Estate, followed by a visit to Rowley Way in the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate.

 Little Amal crosses Millennium Bridge on October 23, 2021  Little Amal crosses Millennium Bridge on October 23, 2021
Little Amal crosses Millennium Bridge on October 23, 2021

There she will be serenaded by folk musicians, steel pan bands and gospel choirs, reflecting some of the many Christian communities that have made London their home.

In the evening Little Amal will lead a parade of Ramadan-inspired lanterns through Somers Town Estate, over Regent’s Canal at Camley Street Bridge, along Bagley Walk and will finish at Granary Square.

She will then be welcomed to an Open Iftar with Ramadan Tent Project and Dishoom plus music from the Muslim arts collective WAW Creative Arts.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For anyone who wants to help, the Choose Love shop has a dedicated Little Amal section – which finds your money going towards real items and life-saving interventions for children and families.

These range from children’s coats, to hot food, children’s play kits, an emergency earthquake bundle, and more. You can also make one-off or recurring donations here.

The Little Amal events are free, but everyone is encouraged to donate anything they can to help.