Symbolizing refugee children, Little Amal’s journey begins in Antep

* Source and photos: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Little Amal, a symbol of refugee children, has begun her journey to England by setting off from Turkey's southeastern province of Antep.

Little Amal is a 3.5 meter-tall living artwork of a 9-year-old Syrian refugee child who will travel 8,000 kilometers in support of refugees.

After Antep, Little Amal's next stops in Turkey will be Adana, Mersin, Tarsus, Karaman, Antalya, Denizli, Selçuk, Urla, izmir, Çeşme. From Çeşme, she will then walk towards Europe through Chios Island.

The first step of the journey, or "The Walk", as the project is called, was taken in Lala Paşa Street, one of the oldest residential areas in Antep. Little Amal was met by children and families from Turkey and Syria on the same street. Accompanied by children with lanterns in their hands, Little Amal came in front of the Gaziantep Castle and attended the event there.

Artists Ali Demirel and Balkan Karışman Işık put on light performances and gave a concert as part of the event.

After the concert, the students and teachers of Karam Foundation handed over the suitcase that they had designed for the journey.

Little Amal left the site after being sended off by children.

The UK-based theater group Good Chance, in collaboration with Handspring Puppet Company, has created "The Walk", a travelling festival of art.

While her walk will continue till November 3, in every village, town and city that she will visit, Little Amal will be met by artists and civil society organizations in public cultural and art events and activities.

The giant puppet at the heart of "The Walk" project will walk across Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and the UK to focus attention on the urgent needs of young refugees. (AÖ/SD)