The "absolutely amazing" Little Amal arrived in Liverpool's bustling city centre today, June 21, where she was welcomed by hoards of people keen to see her.
Her journey kicked off outside the Martin Luther King Jr Building, before she embarked on a powerful procession past some of the city's legendary landmarks along Liverpool's iconic waterfront. The giant 3.5m puppet was first seen by the public in 2021 as the centrepiece of a performance art project named The Walk.
The Walk was an emotive and effective project designed to highlight the plight of refugees, with Little Amal created in the image of a Syrian refugee child to help connect the public to the countless children displaced by wars and other turmoil. Amal is a partly-animatronic puppet and has travelled more than 8,000km in support of refugees.
READ MORE: The Eagles soar to new heights during incredible Anfield gig - review
Little Amal, made by the talented 'War Horse' creators Handspring Puppet Company, aims to refocus attention on the struggles of refugees while conflict rages on across the globe. Little Amal visited Liverpool as part of her 'New Steps New Friends' tour.
From June 19 until June 27 2022 and as part of World Refugee Week, Little Amal will venture to 10 towns and cities across England. On June 21, she took to the streets of Liverpool, imparting her message of hope and resilience in the face of the catastrophic conditions many refugees are experiencing today.
Amal's visit kicked off with a welcome at the Royal Albert Dock from the Liverpool FC Foundation's Inclusion team. In a city so besotted with football, Amal ensured she fit right in by putting her football skills to the test outside the Martin Luther King Jr Building, much to the delight of the vast crowd watching on in awe.
The docks were littered with people, keen to catch a glimpse of the huge puppet. Little Amal, operated by a team of talented puppeteers, interacted with the crowd regularly, with her handlers effectively evoking very real and human mannerisms.
Onlookers were enraptured with the puppet. Abbey, 60, from Liverpool, told the Echo : "It's a wonderful experience and it's nice to see tourism coming to Liverpool."
View our gallery of Little Amal and let us know in the comments section if you saw her
Some people even travelled into the city centre especially to see Little Amal. Christine Settle, 73, from Southport, said: "It's absolutely amazing it's bringing everyone together. We've come from Southport today just to see her." She came with her husband John Settle, 75.
Asylum Link, a local choir supporting asylum seekers and refugees in the city, performed for Amal on the Museum of Liverpool's steps, with the crowd applauding as she danced along to the music. Little Amal ended her visit in Liverpool with a trip to a local primary school.
Half of the world's refugees are children, with Little Amal providing a poignant representation of them. On the next leg of her journey, she will venture to Birmingham, where she will meet families, friends and community groups from across Birmingham, all posing for their own unique 'family' portrait. For further information on Little Amal, click here.
Receive our daily What's On newsletter, Friday Food and Drink and breaking news email alerts by signing up here
