Little Amal comes to Bristol

Little Amal (which means hope in Arabic) is a puppet made by the same people who made the War Horse. She is a 9 year old Syrian girl who has walked from the Syrian/Turkish border for over 5000 miles across Europe on the same route taken by many thousands of real refugees. She is looking for her mother, and travelling ‘alone’. She arrived in England in October.
Throughout her walk she has been met enthusiastically by local people, and welcomed by musicians and artists. She has met sympathetic dignitaries including the Pope. Bristol was no exception and more than a thousand people filled the streets to greet her, and express the message that refugees are welcome here. 
In the main blip she has just emerged from the Old Vic theatre and is listening to some Syrian musicians on the balcony above. There were dense crowds around her but she managed to walk pretty fast. Next she is in Corn Street, where, because she is a child, she peered into cafe windows, and bent down to look at little kids, as she is in the second and third extras. In the 4th she is dancing with the Bristol Samba band, beside the floating harbour. In the last extra she walks onto a boat that is a bit small for her, which will help her on to the next part of her journey, while the crowds wave goodbye to her. 
My friend G and I felt intensely moved by the experience - which I don’t think we were expecting. Although she is ‘just’ a puppet, she has been made exquisitely, and moves authentically. You can see there is a person inside her who creates her movements, and people on either side who move her arms. She moves like a child - she is inquisitive and touches unfamiliar things to see what they are. She is graceful, brave and hopeful. Her resting face is sad, but she smiles easily. I thought she is a magical creation - but of course the important thing is the intention to encourage understanding and solidarity with real refugees. I guess the people who went to the event probably already felt that.  It was special for the many children who attended, who were clearly enchanted and excited