Manchester to host epic finale for Little Amal's 8,000km journey

A giant puppet of a refugee girl will finish her 8,000km trek from the Syrian border with a spectacular celebration in Manchester tonight.

Little Amal is a 3.5-metre puppet of a nine-year-old refugee girl, who is walking from the Syria-Turkey border, through 65 cities, towns and villages, all the way to Manchester.

Since July she has been welcomed by artists and communities at over 120 events in a remarkable journey across Europe that culminates with this powerful finale.

Little Amal’s long search for a new place to call home has led her to Manchester, a city with a proud history of embracing migrants and refugees.

Together with local communities and artists, the city will give her the warmest of Manchester welcomes with a celebration of song, dance, live music and puppetry.

Ahead of her arrival at Castlefield Bowl for The Walk: When The Birds Land on Wednesday 3 November, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of Little Amal outside the Great Northern Warehouse in Manchester city centre at approximately 7.15pm, as she makes her way to the finale event.

In the lead up to tonight's special event Little Amal visited Wigan on Sunday where she was welcomed by performances from local communities, artists and the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.

She then met schools and community groups in Rochdale yesterday.

Tonight's event will be directed by internationally acclaimed theatre and film director, Simon Stone (The Dig, Yerma) When the Birds Land concludes The Walk – the travelling festival of art and hope in support of refugees, created with renowned theatre company Good Chance (The Jungle) in collaboration with Handspring Puppet Company (War Horse), with artistic direction from award-winning Amir Nizar Zuabi.

The Walk is produced by Good Chance, Stephen Daldry, David Lan and Tracey Seaward in association with Handspring Puppet Company, and is produced and presented in Manchester by Manchester International Festival.