Little Amal meets Alice at Oxford Botanic Garden

At on Tuesday 26 October 2021, in the 150th anniversary year of Lewis Carroll’s Alice Through The Looking Glass, Amal reached Oxford and was welcomed by Alice at Oxford Botanic Garden, during their 400th Anniversary year. Find out more about Oxford Botanic Garden’s 400th Anniversary celebrations here: Taking inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, the story of Amal meets Alice begins in the Garden of Live Flowers where Amal arrives with a bag of memories of her home in Syria – memories that have kept her going on her long and arduous journey – some are happy and some are sad. As Alice and Amal navigate fantastical flowers and the demands of the Red Queen, Amal’s memories are spilt out into the city of Oxford…..can Alice help her find them? Through their quest the girls form a bond and learn about each other’s worlds. Amal and Alice, both in giant puppet form, travel across the city from Oxford Botanic Garden to Merton Fields finding Amal’s memories brought to life by partner creative and community groups. Read the full story written by award-winning children’s book author, Nadine Kaadan, here: Part of The Walk Produced by Good Chance, Stephen Daldry, David Lan and Tracey Seaward in association with Handspring Puppet Company. The Walk is an international arts and campaigning project, in which the puppet Amal will follow in the footsteps of thousands of unaccompanied child refugees who have been forced to take the same treacherous journey. Starting in Gazienter in late July, Amal will pass through 50 towns and cities across Europe, including Oxford on Tuesday 26 October, arriving in Manchester at the end of October. Follow her incredible journey at Amal Meets Alice partners include: The Story Museum Oxford Botanic Garden Mandala Theatre Oxford Youth Dance Company Ark-T Bodleian Library University Museum of Natural History KAMA Asylum Welcome Charlbury Refugee Action Group Iraqi Women Art and War Dancing Oxford Oxford Festival of the Arts Christ Church