Bristol Welcomes Little Amal
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You're invited to meet Little Amal on her journey through the streets of Bristol.
Little Amal captured the world’s interest in 2021 as the giant, 3.5m tall puppet that walked nearly 5,000 miles across Europe, focussing our attention on the urgent needs of young refugees.
That attention is now more urgent than ever, and on Friday 24 June, Little Amal, the living artwork of a young Syrian refugee child comes to Bristol – and you’re invited to welcome her and walk with her around our city.
Little Amal’s Bristol journey will begin at 4pm outside Bristol Old Vic on King Street and then via Welsh Back to Bristol’s famous St Nicholas Market and historic Corn Street - hearing music and watching performances by local artists and meeting local communities - before leaving the city at the Harbour.
Meeting thousands of people along the way, the journey of Amal (which means hope in Arabic) offers a moment to reflect on Bristol’s complicated past, while considering our ambitions for the future of the city.
To meet Little Amal on her journey, gather outside Bristol Old Vic from 4pm, and walk with her through the streets of Bristol.
We are excited to welcome Little Amal to Bristol to meet the community, to see our beautiful city and to find out more about Bristol’s status as a City of Sanctuary.
Amal travels everywhere with a spirit of curiosity. By welcoming her to Bristol we will also learn from her, understanding more about our own complicated past and our dream of being a fairer and more welcoming city in the future.
Tom Morris, Bristol Old Vic
Performances on the day
Check out the full list of activities to welcome Little Amal!
| 3pm | Bristol Old Vic, King Street | Come along to our free workshop and make your own bird puppet to fly alongside Little Amal as she walks through our city. For anyone aged 7+ (or younger with adult support). |
| 4pm | Bristol Old Vic, King Street | Music from Syria and Morocco - Dijwar Khalil playing saz and Soufian Saihi playing the oud - supported by Bristol Refugee Festival. |
| 4:30pm | Bristol Old Vic, King Street | Little Amal arrives at Bristol Old Vic. Bristol’s first Poet Laureate Miles Chambers performs his poem Bristol Bristol! |
| 4:40pm | Bristol Old Vic, King Street | Bristol Old Vic Community Choir sing three songs from around the world that invoke hope and comfort to children. |
| 4:45pm | Welsh Back | Performance from DMAC UK drumming and acta. |
| 5:10pm | Corn Street | Late night market stalls run by Refugee support organisations, a wedding ceremony from Made in Bristol Company and a Circomedia performance. |
| 5:30pm | Centre, Broad Quay | Bristol Samba will perform with Bristol Old Vic Young Company Street Theatre group. |
| 6pm | Cascade Steps | Join Somalian children's theatre group, Bristol refugee families and the Lord Mayor of Bristol to wave goodbye to Little Amal, as she leaves on a Bristol Cross Ferry. |
Welcome Little Amal with a sign of peace by making your own dove puppet with Tomasin Cuthbert:
Bristol Welcomes Little Amal is being delivered as one of the activities under the City Centre and High Streets Recovery and Renewal programme, funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Street project
Bristol Refugee Festival is a month long programme of events that brings together local and refugee communities to celebrate the contribution refugees make to Bristol, promote better understanding as to why people seek sanctuary and support successful integration.