Bartolomeo Bartolini

THE WALK

"The Walk" is a groundbreaking artistic initiative featuring Little Amal, a 3.5-meter-tall puppet representing a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl. This collaboration between Good Chance Theatre and Handspring Puppet Company aims to highlight the experiences of displaced children worldwide, emphasizing themes of migration, hope, and cultural diversity. Little Amal's journey began in 2021, symbolizing the arduous path many refugees undertake in search of safety and family reunification.

Fleeing Syria, in the chaos after a devastating bombing, Little Amal is found alone, having to embark on a quest to find her mother and seek sanctuary. Her 8,000-kilometer journey mirrored the treacherous routes many refugees navigate, starting from the Syria-Turkey border, crossing the Aegean Sea to Chios in Greece, and traversing countries including Italy, where she met the Pope in Rome, Switzerland, where she met with the Council of Europe, France, Germany, Belgium, and the UK. She stood before the Peace Palace in the Netherlands, and represented unheard refugee communities at COP26 in Glasgow. Each location welcomed her with unique events that reflected local traditions and underscored a shared human desire for connection and understanding.

Art and puppetry possesses the unique ability to foster empathy, serving as a bridge that connects disparate experiences and emotions. When art is confined to exclusive spaces like high-end galleries or expensive theaters, it becomes inaccessible to many, particularly the most vulnerable who may benefit from it the most. Street performances and public art initiatives like this one democratize art, bringing it directly into communities and inviting everyone to partake in shared moments of joy, reflection, and unity. TOday, millions of people have engaged with her either in their city or online.

my journey

As one of the puppeteers, my journey with Little Amal has been both physically demanding and profoundly enlightening. Operating a 3.5-meter-tall puppet does necessitate quite a lot of stamina, coordination, and teamwork, in events—that take palce in bustling city streets and natural landscapes—and can last for hours. But it's worth it every time. When the audiences interacts with her as if she were a real child (and I personally always do too!), all of a sudden controlling Amal's feet while on stilts, keeping the breath alive, and adjusting her facial expressions in real-time suddenly feels much easier than it sounds.

"The Walk" and Little Amal's odyssey underscore the transformative power of art to illuminate pressing social issues, foster empathy, and inspire collective action. Through the simple yet profound act of walking, Amal invites us to view the world through the eyes of a child seeking safety, family, and a place to call home. Her journey challenges us to expand our perspectives, open our hearts, and work towards a more compassionate and inclusive world.

Amal since 2021...

Following her impactful journey across Europe and the UK in 2021 Little Amal continued traveling across the world with The Walk Productions and Handspring Theatre.

She visited refugee shelters in Lviv, Ukraine when in 2022 the war broke out and helped distribute meals at the Tesco Aid Centre in Przemyśl, Poland.

At the end of the same year, she arrived in New York City, before embarking in 2023 another 3 months journey throughout the US. In October, at the US-Mexico border, she met children who had attempted to cross the desert within the Tohono O’odham Nation, drawing attention to the perilous journeys many face.

In Mexico, she visited Casa Monarca migrant center in Monterrey, where she listened to the stories of displaced children and shared gifts, bringing moments of comfort and solidarity. She met the First Nation People in Adelaide, Australia, she travelled from Belfast to Dublin in Ireland and walked over 6000 miles in Chile.

Little Amal’s continued journey has turned her into a living monument for refugee children, ensuring their voices are heard worldwide. By walking through cities and crossing borders, she invites communities to embrace rather than fear those seeking sanctuary.

picture by Taku Kumabe