Join A.B.L.E. and arts partners from across the city of Chicago for a FREE public event to welcome Little Amal.
This 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee child has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees.
Since July 2021, Little Amal has travelled over 5,500 miles to 94 towns and cities in 14 countries and been welcomed by more than a million people on the street, including hundreds of artists and civil society and faith leaders, as well as by tens of millions online. Her journeys are festivals of art and hope that draw attention to the huge numbers of children fleeing war, violence and persecution, each with their own story. Her urgent message to the world is “Don’t forget about us”.
This fall, Amal will journey 6,000 miles across the United States. More than 35 towns and cities from Boston to San Diego and 1,000+ artists and arts organizations will create 100+ free public events to welcome her.
Join us in welcoming Amal to Chicago on September 28th! Admission is FREE and no ticket or registration is required.
Before Amal arrives, stop by Chicago Children’s Museum from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. for its puppet-themed Free Family Day
Amal’s visit to Navy Pier begins at 5:30 p.m. just outside Chicago Shakespeare Theater, with a traditional welcome by the Syrian Community Network
She moves on to engage with performers from A.B.L.E. near Navy Pier's Wave Wall
During a stop outside Chicago Children’s Museum, Amal will greet the 16‑foot‑tall “Flyboy” sculpture by Chicago artist Hebru Brantley
Her visit concludes in Polk Bros Park, as more than 70 members of the youth choir Uniting Voices perform their original song “We All Live Here”
Little Amal has become an international symbol of compassion and of human rights. She carries a message of hope for displaced people everywhere, especially children who have been separated from their families.
The puppet of Little Amal was designed and built by Handspring Puppet Company, who created the puppets for the international hit play War Horse, establishing them as one of the most important puppet companies in the world. Everywhere Amal goes she is greeted with events that are authentic and meaningful to the local people she meets.
So far, she has visited 15 countries including Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, the UK, the United States, Poland, Ukraine, Canada and Norway. Learn more about Little Amal’s journeys on the Walk with Amal website or follow @WalkWithAmal on Instagram.
Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com
