FLINT, MI September 15, 2023- Little Amal, the internationally celebrated 12-foot-tall puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl who has traveled across 13 countries meeting more than a million people, will embark on an epic 6,000-mile journey across the United States and stopping in Flint Tuesday, September 26.
Raising awareness about immigration and migration. The name Amal means “hope” in Arabic.
During the “I Found a Magical Portal” event attendees will greet Amal as she steps through a magical portal of plants and flowers, created by Lisa Waud, to discover the heart and beauty of the city of Flint and its people. As the sun sets, she will be immersed in a choral performance composed by Tunde Olaniran and directed by Talicia Campbell.
The event will take place Tuesday September 26, 2023, starting at 5:30 p.m. The schedule is as follows:
5:30 – 6:00: Community Gathering and Meal Sharing
6:00 – 6:30: Paper Dolls, Friendship Stones, and Storytelling
6:30 – 7:00: Artistic Expression and Performance
7:00 – 7:30: Walk with Little Amal
*Walk begins at the corner of Second St. and Crapo in front of the former Flint Central High School.
This event will also kick off a winter clothing giveaway, including free hats and scarves donated from Flint Handmade Yarn Brigade as a part of their 11th annual “Operation: Warm Up Flint” project. Free hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and socks will be available during the event.
Amal Walks Across America is the centerpiece of the nonprofit The Walk Productions, which is producing a global series of festivals and educational events to bring attention to the plight of displaced people, particularly young people, whose lives have been uprooted by war, famine and corruption in their home countries.
The Flint cultural celebration, “I Found a Magic Portal” is produced by Magic Wheel Creative, U-M Arts Initiative, U-M Flint Arts & Culture Research Cluster, U-M Flint and Office of the Provost, Flint Institute of Arts and Gloria Coles Flint Public Library and Flint Handmade.
For more information, check out the website walkwithamal.org.
About Gloria Cole Flint Public Library: The Library has served this community since 1851. Its vision is to be Flint’s go-to place to learn for life. The Library encourages formal and informal learning for all ages, in all mediums, for entire lives. Learn more at www.fpl.info
