The University’s Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries (iCCi) is excited to be hosting The Walk on 21 October, one of the biggest international community arts projects ever produced.
The Walk is a travelling outdoor performance consisting of a giant puppet of a Syrian refugee girl named Amal, created by Handspring Puppet Company, walking from Turkey to the UK via Greece, Italy, France and other countries. Amal is a 9-year-old girl who wants to find her mother, travelling across Europe and meeting people along the way to highlight the plight of refugees. Colleagues in our Migration and Movement Signature Research Theme will join iCCi in hosting a series of events to accompany her arrival.
Kent is the only university in the UK to host little Amal. We will be welcoming her to the University with a procession, walking from the Cathedral to the Canterbury campus, starting at midday on Thursday 21 October. We will be joined by 350 local school-children and a marching band. She will also be welcomed by a giant red fox (see sketch below), a puppet that Kent Drama students will operate under the supervision of Kent alumnus, Peter Morton, of Half a String and Sam Westbury, our Drama Workshop Manager.
David Sefton, Director of Culture and Creative Projects for iCCi: ‘I am delighted that The Walk is the first major community event to be produced by the University’s Institute of Cultural & Creative Industries. The fact that this is such a significant public art event nationally and internationally based around a crucially important theme, and that it is able to incorporate the activities of multiple university departments as well as our own outreach initiative, makes The Walk the perfect demonstration of what iCCi is uniquely set-up to deliver for the University and the whole of Kent.’
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Making the Puppet until 8 October – Sign up asap!
We need you! Can you help us build the giant fox puppet? The puppet-making workshops have started in the Arts Workshop (Marlowe Building) with Sam Westbury and Peter Morton. Visit tinyurl.com/thewalkkent to sign up to a slot.
Coming along to the procession on 21 October
Join us at the Cathedral at 11.30 on 21 October. We will walk via Westgate, St. Dunstans, Forty Acres Rd, and up one of the footpaths on to campus. More details will be announced nearer the time via the Gulbenkian webpages.
Attending the Refugee Tales evening event on 21 October
On 21 October at 19.00, an event hosted by Refugee Tales will feature tales and music by refugees who have experienced indefinite immigration detention. Amal will also be in attendance. Book your tickets now, priced £10 and £5 for students, on the Gulbenkian webpages.
Posting on social media
Our tags are #AmalatKent and #littleAmal – do feel free to share.
Telling your students
Please feel free to highlight The Walk in class to your students by forwarding this email to them.
FIND OUT MORE
We’re looking forward to you joining us in our preparations to welcome Amal! Find out more about The Walk with Amal webpages. You can read more about Amal’s journey in The Guardian. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Margherita Laera.