Amal From Afar

On the first night of Amal’s epic journey, we invite everyone across the US to take part in a festival of welcome, wherever they are.

Because so many people who are keen to welcome Amal don’t live in one of the 36 towns and cities on her route, we have created Amal from afar: tonight I am not alone.

You might be a theatre or a dance house, a soup kitchen or a community center, a church, a mosque, a synagogue, a school or university, a shop, a restaurant or a farmers’ market. Whether as an individual, a family or a community, please join a collective celebration of the power of a simple act of welcome to a stranger and become a friend of Amal.

What is Amal From Afar?

At the heart of Amal from afar is a high resolution video of Little Amal settling down to sleep. It is designed to be projected onto a child’s bed covered by a white sheet.

We encourage each of Amal’s new friends, our new partners, to create an artistic event – large scale or intimate – around the theme of a sleeping child. Your event should draw people together – friends, family or community – inviting them to experience the pleasures and responsibilities of offering kindness, safety and protection.

DOWNLOAD THE VIDEO

Ideas for Your Event

Here are some inspirations and ideas for what you could create:

A night vigil: invite your community to take turns to safeguard and watch-over the video installation of the sleeping Amal.
Bed time stories: invite local artists, poets, teachers and children to read a bedtime story whilst the video plays.
Lullabies: create an event that celebrates the variety of traditions of lullabies and children’s songs in your community as the video plays.
Musical concert: gather local choirs, orchestras or ensembles to play music to soothe a sleeping child.
Nightmares and dreams: create a theatrical or musical experience that reflects what Amal might be dreaming – peaceful visions or the turmoil of nightmares.
Share local stories or advice: “When I was 10 I felt_______” “When I feel afraid I _______”
It is also possible to be a part of this by simply projecting the video and encouraging audiences to visit the installation.

How to Get Involved

CLICK HERE to download our high resolution video
Design an evocative event with artists and arts organizations.
Choose a significant place to project the video. If it’s a public space, be sure to consider any permissions you may need.
Tell your community. Encourage a huge turn-out.
Amplify the work of your local humanitarian and other community organizations by inviting them to bring their members and clients.
Post videos and photos of your event on social media.

Production

The video is designed to be projected onto a bed standing up-right, covered in a white sheet. We suggest the bed should be attached onto a wall.
The video will be high enough resolution to project on a large surface such as the bed, or the side of a building.
We encourage you to think big and find a prominent public place for maximum visibility.
You might install the projector across the street or in the window of a nearby building, as in the image opposite.
Please time your event after your local sunset.
(Note we are not able to provide bed, sheet or projector.)

Next Steps

Email [email protected] with “Amal from afar” in the subject line.

We will celebrate all our United States partners on our website so please send a few sentences about yourself as well as your logo if you have one.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!