Special | Festival Ground

The Walk Productions & Handspring Puppet Company „Little Amal”

Great Britain | South Africa

Little Amal is a doll measuring around 3.5 metres tall, representing a ten-year-old Syrian refugee child. Her name means ‘hope’. In search of a place where she can settle, she has travelled through more than 180 cities in 18 countries since 2021. Millions of people have met her, on the streets and beyond. Her journey brings into focus what often remains abstract: displacement is a reality for countless children worldwide.

Amal does not travel alone. She carries within her the voices of those we often overlook. Children who have had to leave their homes, who cross borders without knowing what will happen, and who hope that somewhere, someone is waiting to see them. Wherever Amal goes, people stop, follow her, listen to her. On her journey, she has met many people: heads of state and artists, activists and children. Among others, she met Pope Francis, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the actors Jude Law and Whoopi Goldberg, as well as countless people whose names are unknown, but whose stories she carries forward. In this way, Little Amal transforms public spaces into places of encounter, compassion and reflection.

On June 19 at 6 p.m., Little Amal’s arrival will open the “Herzkammer” at the main entrance, where visitors can welcome her with hand-painted signs, little messages of greeting, or simply with open eyes and open hearts. It will be a special moment for everyone who meets Little Amal and wants to give her a warm, friendly welcome. If you haven’t had a chance to prepare anything, you can get creative in the children’s and youth area starting at 2 p.m. Materials will be available to make welcome signs and messages. Just stop by and join in. The Refugio Art Workshop will also be on site with creative activities to welcome Amal.

She will remain a guest on the site for two days before continuing her journey. During this time, she invites you to accompany her for a while and share your hopes for the future.

Little Amal is a production by The Walk Productions in collaboration with the Handspring Puppet Company. The Walk Productions is an internationally active arts organisation based in London, founded by David Lan and Tracey Seaward. Under the artistic direction of Amir Nizar Zuabi, the organisation develops large-scale projects in public spaces that combine artistic practice with contemporary social issues and place the audience at the heart of shared experiences.

The Handspring Puppet Company, based in Cape Town, was founded in 1981 and is now regarded as one of the world’s leading ensembles in contemporary puppetry. Over the course of four decades, it has had a profound influence on the field. The company gained international recognition with its production of “War Horse” at the National Theatre in London and continues to this day to embody an extraordinary blend of technical precision, artistic innovation and narrative power.

Little Amal at the Tollwood Festival 2026 is presented by The Walk Productions and the Tollwood Festival in collaboration with the Handspring Puppet Company.

© Little Amal beim Tollwood Festival 2026 wird präsentiert von The Walk Productions und dem Tollwood Festival in Zusammenarbeit mit der Handspring Puppet Company