Newry to welcome 12-foot-tall puppet, Little Amal

Presented by The Walk, Little Amal is a 12ft manually operated puppet that is a globally recognised symbol of human rights, who has travelled across the world since her creation in 2021, inspiring community-led events focusing on diversity, inclusion and peace.

As well as coming to the city, Little Amal will also be stopping off in Newcastle.

A post on Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Facebook page said: “Why not come and greet her on Wednesday, May 22 at one of her two rest stops in Newcastle and Newry before she continues on her journey.

“In Newcastle she will be welcomed to the district by pupils from our primary schools before continuing down the promenade to share food with volunteers from the YMCA Newcastle.

“She will then travel to Newry to take part in a drum workshop with local children before they make a noisy spectacle on their walk along Hill Street to her final stop at Newry Cathedral.”

Little Amal was designed and built by Handspring Puppet Company, whose work has been presented in more than 30 countries around the world spanning four decades. Their puppetry design for War Horse established Handspring as one of the most important puppet companies in the world.

Since Little Amal’s creation in 2021, she has travelled to 160 towns and cities in 16 countries and been welcomed by over two million people and tens of millions online, through creative events led by artists and local communities. She has also won a range of awards, including being named New York’s No. 1 Art Event by Time Out magazine in 2022. The Walk 2021 was a co-production with Good Chance Theatre.

Since Amal has started walking, she has raised £770,000 for The Amal Fund with Choose Love, providing urgently-needed support for refugee and displaced children all over the world.

Little Amal will be in Newcastle and Newry at the following times:

Newcastle Promenade, Wednesday 22 May 10am – 11am

10am – 10.20am: Meet and greet at the sphere on the promenade

10.20am – 11am: Little Amal will walk along the south end of the promenade

Newry, Wednesday 22 May 1pm – 2pm

1pm – 1.30pm: Newry Town Hall

1.30pm – 2pm: Little Amal will walk along Hill Street towards Newry Cathedral