Amal will be guest of honour at locations across the waterfront
Fresh from embarking on a 8,000km journey from Syria to Manchester last year, Little Amal is now travelling to 11 locations as part of her "New Steps, New Friends" tour, including Liverpool's historic waterfront.
Liverpool has a reputation for welcoming people, where today’s migrant is tomorrow’s citizen.
The 3.5 metre tall puppet, which embodies a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, will travel through Liverpool as part of her new journey through England for World Refugee Week (20-26 June). Little Amal represents the millions of refugee children separated from their families. Her message to the world is: "Don't forget about us".
A guest of honour in the city for two hours on Tuesday lunchtime, the Liverpool stop on 21 June will see Amal welcomed to Royal Albert Dock with support from Liverpool FC Foundation’s inclusion team, inviting her to put her football skills to the test outside of the Martin Luther King Jr Building. Liverpool FC Foundation’s inclusion team delivers a Refugee Football programme weekly, providing four sessions to over 150 refugees across the city.
Amal will then make her way down Hartley Quay, towards Tate Liverpool where she will meet 60 children from Smithdown Primary School who will be taking part in art activities. The children are part of the gallery’s Tackling the Blues project, partnered with Edge Hill University and Everton in the Community, which uses arts-based education to support young people aged six-16 who are experiencing, or are at risk of developing, mental illness.
Little Amal will also visit Ugo Rondinone’s fluorescent sculpture, Liverpool Mountain, which stands tall at 10 metres in Mermaid Courtyard, making the perfect photo op for Amal to remember her time at Royal Albert Dock.
National Museums Liverpool will encourage Amal to become part of the Museum of Liverpool’s community archaeology team at Piermaster’s Green, investigating the lives of people who lived and worked on the docks, before reflecting on Liverpool’s long maritime history, as well as its links to the transatlantic slave trade.
Asylum Link, a local choir supporting asylum seekers and refugees in the city, will perform for Amal on the Museum of Liverpool’s steps before she continues her journey with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatre.
Little Amal will finish her visit to Liverpool with a trip to a local primary school where she will join the children playing games and getting creative with art activities. The children include those from families the Everyman and Playhouse have worked in partnership with SOLA Arts to support, as well as those with a refugee background.
Helen Legg, director of Tate Liverpool and chair Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, said, “Amal’s visit to Royal Albert Dock during world refugee week provides an important moment to reflect how the movement of people is central to Liverpool’s history and identity.
"Liverpool has a reputation for welcoming people, where today’s migrant is tomorrow’s citizen, and we hope Amal enjoys interacting with the children and their art during her visit.”
The Walk: New Steps New Friends is produced by The Walk Productions in association with Handspring Puppet Company and led by artistic director Amir Nizar Zuabi.
Little Amal is visiting Liverpool waterfront on Tuesday 21 June from 12pm-2pm. For all the latest updates follow Little Amal on Twitter: @walkwithamal
Read next: Top things to do in Liverpool: June 2022
Read again: Liverpool Arab Arts Festival returns with free family fun day
Get the latest news to your inbox
Get the latest food & drink news and exclusive offers by email by signing up to our mailing list. This is one of the ways that Confidentials remains free to our readers and by signing up you help support our high quality, impartial and knowledgable writers. Thank you!
