Giant puppet 'Little Amal' brings message of hope to El Paso on cross-country journey

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — Little Amal, a giant puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl, arrived at El Paso as she continues her 6,000-mile journey across the U.S.-Mexico border spreading a message of hope for migrants and refugees.

The 12-foot-tall puppet, which takes four puppeteers to bring to life, first made a stop at Armijo Park in Segundo Barrio at 4 p.m., before going to Ascarate Park to walk the Healing Garden at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Little Amal walked in honor of the 23 victims of the 2019 Walmart mass shooting and helped light an eight-foot sculpture made by Creative Kids, an El Paso non-profit art agency that serves kids, including at-risk youth, children battling cancer and families directly impacted by the Walmart shooting.

Participants with Creative Kids handed handmade paper flowers emblazoned with a message of hope to Little Amal while El Paso Pro-Musica serenaded attendants with live music.

Before Little Amal took her walk, there was a Lights on Afterschool event where more than 20 afterschool care providers in El Paso showcased their services and provide activities for the kids in attendance.

The pre-walk event was at 4:00 p.m. courtesy of the BOOST (Borderland Out-of-School Time) Network and the Paso del Norte Health Foundation's Healthy Kids Initiative.

On Thursday, Little Amal will make an appearance in UTEP for "International Students Unite!" at 9 a.m., then head south of the border at 4 p.m. to Plaza de la Mexicanidad in Ciudad Juarez for an event called "Two Sides," before ending the evening at 7 p.m. back in El Paso at the J.P. Shawver Park in the lower valley for the city's 150th anniversary and Dia de los Muertos celebration.

The city's Dia de Los Muertos celebration will also include live music, interactive activities, giveaways, food trucks and information booths from the City Parks and Recreation Department and various City departments and community partners including Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, Borderland Rainbow Center, Sacred Heart Church, Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services, Inc., the Office of New Americans, La Trenza/What Remains, and ABARA, Inc.

Co-founder of Creative Kids Andrea Gates-Ingle released the following statement about Little Amal's visit:

Creative Kids is grateful to have partnered with Amal and her team to visit a special place in our community that has been able to heal families that need it the most. By utilizing the power of the arts, we can continue a path for healing positively and constructively. This special event with Amal helps to emphasize the courage and resiliency of the human spirit in the face of great adversity and reminds us that art can connect us all.

RECOMMENDED: Governor Abbott's border wire expansion stirs controversy amongst New Mexico lawmakers

Meet Little Amal:

The puppet of Little Amal was created by the Handspring Puppet Company, the South African puppet company that created the life-size puppets for the international hit play War Horse. According to Little Amal's official website, the puppet is made of lightweight materials such as cane and carbon fiber and is operated by four puppeteers, one for each arm, one supporting the puppet's back, and one inside walking the puppets on stilts and controlling Amal's head, face and eyes.

Below is a video about how the puppet was created:

Little Amal started her two-month walk in September in Boston with a plan to visit more than 35 cities, including the U.S. capital, before culminating in San Diego on November 5.

Then, from November 6 to 26, Little Amal will continue her journey in Mexico.

A full list of events, including locations, times, and other information, can be found at walkwithamal.org.

The Walk Productions Artistic Director Amir Nizar Zuabi said of Little Amal's journey:

Amal stands for unity and hope, and we couldn’t impart this message without the hundreds of partners, large and small, coming together to support us as we embark on this journey. Each artist, organization, and institution has a story to tell about their unique slice of American history and culture and is inviting Amal and all Americans to learn about what makes this country's heartbeat.

If you or someone you know is looking to donate money to the "Choose Love 'Amal Fund,'" which aims to serve refugee children all over the world with education, food, shelter, legal assistance and medical care, you can visit donate.chooselove.org and find more information.

RECOMMENDED: Pro-Palestinian rally in El Paso aims to educate community and call for peace

Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox.