Little Amal, a traveling puppet depicting a 10-year-old girl, arrived in Philadelphia last week as part of the city’s Welcoming Week festivities, aiming to bring together immigrants and those born in the United States.
The 12-foot puppet walked around South Philadelphia, and later trekked from Broad and Lombard streets to City Hall.
Little Amal also visited One Art Community Center, on N. 52nd Street in West Philadelphia, and walked down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from the Rodin Museum to LOVE Park.
Performances accompanied the puppet along the way, in partnership with Theatre Exile, Philadelphia Theatre Company, BalletX and other groups.
Welcoming Week is an initiative that began in 2012 with the national nonprofit Welcoming America, and this year, it included 500 events in multiple counties.
“The week highlights the vibrancy of our immigrant and refugee communities and serves as a reminder that everyone belongs in Philadelphia,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement.
