'Little Amal' puppet to walk for displaced refugee children

The journey of a 3.5-meter-tall puppet en route to the U.K., prepared as part of a project titled "The Walk" that is sharing the life story of Little Amal, a 9-year-old Syrian refugee, will begin in the southeastern province of Gaziantep.

The Walk is being prepared under the leadership of Good Chance, a U.K.-based theater and art company, and supported by Turkey's Association of Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (SGDD-ASAM) along with the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) and the project's envoys, Turkish actress Bergüzar Korel and actor Halit Ergenç.

Embodying an urgent message, "Don't forget about us," Little Amal's puppet will travel 8,000 kilometers through eight countries in search of her mother, drawing attention to the challenges she faced.

Symbolizing millions of displaced refugee children, the 3.5-meter high puppet will travel from Gaziantep, located near the Turkish-Syrian borderline, to Manchester.

The Walk will take place between July 27 and Nov. 3, and settlements along the route will be visited by artists and NGOs hosting culture and art events for the public.

According to Amir Nizar Zuabi, the art director of the project, the journey is an ambitious traveling arts and culture festival.

Little Amal's journey from Gaziantep to Manchester will cover a distance of 8,000 kilometers, stopping in 65 cities and participating in over 120 events, Zuabi said, adding that the project aimed to bring a new perspective to the issue of refugees and reshape existing perceptions.

He stressed that refugees contributed to their host countries by enriching their culture and language.

Noting that the European perception of the refugee crisis was related to its start in Greek borders, he said...