Lewisham gets ready to welcome Little Amal on 22 October

Amal's search for her mother takes her on an epic journey from the Syrian border right across Europe and shines a light on the millions of displaced refugee children she represents. We are delighted that her first stop in London will be in Deptford on Friday 22 October from 10am to 12 noon.

This is Lewisham’s first major event as we prepare to be the Mayor of London’s Borough of Culture in 2022 and as the country’s first Borough of Sanctuary. The Council has joined together with local partners to create a family-friendly interactive celebration, during which Amal will explore Deptford High Street with local children who will teach her all about life in Lewisham and learn about her journey.

Little Amal will discover treasures from around the world in Deptford’s bustling street market. She will wash her clothes at a very unusual launderette, borrow a book from a golden library, marvel at a musical big wheel, meet the world’s tallest Bubbleologist and receive a bag full of giant, hand-made gifts from the Refugee Café, Migration Museum, Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network and the Albany.

Amal will be encouraged on her journey by hundreds of local nine-year olds, but all residents can get involved by displaying a welcome poster in their window or by joining in with the festival atmosphere on the day. Expect live samba music, magical surprises and hundreds of bubbles of all sizes.

Cllr Andre Bourne, Cabinet Member for Culture, said:

"As the country's first Borough of Sanctuary, we're proud to be welcoming Little Amal to Lewisham. We have watched in horror at the events unfolding in Afghanistan and The Walk will give us an opportunity to learn more about people who are forced to flee from their homes and find a new place to live. I hope lots of people, particularly our younger residents, will join us to welcome Little Amal for this special day."

Posters will be available to pick up from Deptford Lounge from the beginning of October or residents can create their own artworks to welcome Little Amal.

Find more information and the full programme of events on The Walk's website.