Little Amal, a 3.5m puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, has walked crossed Europe in search of her mother. The Rothschild Foundation is proud to have helped Amal on her journey as she shines a light on the millions of displaced children who have made similar journeys out of acute danger in search of refuge.

Amal arrived in the UK on 19th October visiting Folkestone, Canterbury and went on to London, entering the big city via Lewisham, the London Borough of Culture 2022. She journeyed on to Oxford, where she met Alice in Wonderland, and will make her way north to Sheffield, Barnsley and then Manchester. All the way along her route Amal has met tens of thousands of amazed, adoring crowds and inspired communities of artists, choirs and performers.

Amal’s walk reminds us of value of the arts to create shared experiences and connections no matter our background. Culture can restore our sense of community, particularly as we emerge from the pandemic. We will continue to prioritise support of inclusive and accessible culture, and creativity which improves wellbeing through our future grant-making. Amir Nizar Zuabi, Artistic Director comments “Art affirms our shared humanity regardless of language, culture, finance or education. We believe that The Walk has the power to create lasting change. By telling the stories of people who are often marginalised, feared or pitied we can help transform their lives and our own”.