Ideas worth spreading

Walk with Little Amal, a theatrical journey celebrating the refugee experience

1,758,417 views | Amir Nizar Zuabi • TEDMonterey

In a staggering display of creativity and community, theater director Amir Nizar Zuabi introduces "The Walk": a theatrical journey following a nine-year-old refugee girl named Amal (represented by a giant, lifelike puppet) as she makes her way from Turkey to England. Zuabi shares the bold vision behind this cultural odyssey aimed at spreading hope and celebrating the refugee experience -- and joins us live from Turkey as Amal passes through a village.

In a staggering display of creativity and community, theater director Amir Nizar Zuabi introduces "The Walk": a theatrical journey following a nine-year-old refugee girl named Amal (represented by a giant, lifelike puppet) as she makes her way from Turkey to England. Zuabi shares the bold vision behind this cultural odyssey aimed at spreading hope and celebrating the refugee experience -- and joins us live from Turkey as Amal passes through a village.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Follow Amal's journey to a new home.

Get involved with The Walk by making a donation, creating an Act of Welcome or attending an event.

Follow Good Chance Theatre to keep up with our work connecting communities through art.

About the speaker

Amir Nizar Zuabi

Amir Nizar Zuabi

Theater writer, director

See speaker profile

Amir Nizar Zuabi is an award-winning theater writer and director, most recently of "The Walk," a traveling festival of art focusing attention on the urgent needs of young refugees.

Stefan Wild | Harrassowitz, 1975 | Book

Ghassan Kanafani: The Life of a Palestinian

Kanafani's writings are a distillation of the Palestinian refugee experience in a profound, humane way.

| Explore

Classical Arabic Literature

Classical Arabic Literature is one of the richest and most texturized writing cultures in the world. In many cases it preceded the modern European thinking. It also gives a very complete perspective about the world a lot of refugees are coming from.

Ai Weiwei | AC Films, 2017 | Watch

Human Flow

This is a very powerful, beautiful and multifaceted movie about refugees. Go watch it.

Homer | Penguin Classics, 1999 | Book

The Odyssey

The Odyssey is one of the best travel stories ever created by mankind. It's a foundation of literature, and also happens in the territory we are crossing with Amal.

Waad al-Kataeb | PBS Frontline, 2019 | Watch

For Sama

For Sama is a very detailed, intimate account of a mother. A mother surviving. It's a beautiful and very powerful insight.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Follow Amal's journey to a new home.

Get involved with The Walk by making a donation, creating an Act of Welcome or attending an event.

Follow Good Chance Theatre to keep up with our work connecting communities through art.