Little Amal, the internationally acclaimed 12-foot puppet of a ten-year old refugee girl, will visit Hull this September as part of the Yorkshire Integration Festival celebrations, which aim to raise awareness of the experiences of refugees and celebrate the resilience of refugee communities.
Little Amal’s Yorkshire journey will bring her to Hull on Sunday 22 September. She will visit Pearson Park where she will help celebrate the diversity of the city’s communities. Among those participating in the event will be Hull’s renowned Freedom Chorus, children from local schools and youth organisations, and volunteers from the city’s many voluntary organisations. There will be stalls, games, food, music, and dancing evoking the culture and heritage of many of Hull’s refugees.
Dave Brown, Head of Migration Yorkshire who are hosting the Yorkshire Integration Festival said: “It is our privilege to welcome Little Amal to Yorkshire. Her visit is a powerful and poignant reminder of the struggles faced by refugees around the world, and why it is important that we do all we can to support them in our communities.”
Hull’s Lord Mayor, Cllr Mark Collinson said: “As a City of Sanctuary with a long and proud history of supporting people who have had to flee from their homes through war, persecution, or natural disasters, we are honoured to welcome Little Amal to Hull. She is a symbol of hope, understanding and solidarity. Hopefully, she will help to raise awareness of the obstacles faced by refugees to live in safety and make a positive contribution to their new communities. I hope to be able to meet her myself.”
These events are part of ‘The Walk’, an artistic production which, since 2021, has travelled to 166 towns and cities in 17 countries. Amal has been welcomed by two million people on the street and by tens of millions online. She has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees.
