See Photos and Videos of Little Amal’s Historic Walk Through Downtown Lafayette

Lafayette, Louisiana had a rare and touching visitor Wednesday evening (10/18), as Little Amal, a towering puppet symbolizing displaced children around the world, made her way through Downtown Lafayette. Cameras buzzed and residents beamed as they welcomed the iconic figure on her inspiring journey.

A local educator  revealed the unique way her classroom prepared for Amal’s visit. “My students and I have been preparing for Little Amal’s visit for the past 4 weeks. We made lanterns and puppets for her. This last week, we wrote her letters telling her three things we love about home, why she should move to Lafayette, and what we would do to make her feel welcome in her new home or school. Merci to everyone involved in making this happen,” she said.

Anita Begnaud, CEO of Downtown Lafayette, took to Facebook to share her delight, stating, “What a special night for Lafayette, Louisiana to have Little Amal in the heart of our city. I looked around and saw so many people that I am proud to live in this community with, who share a recognition of what truly matters—our children who are our future. Thank you to the many partners who made tonight a reality.”

Children too were enthralled by Amal's presence. Alyson Schexnayder described the atmosphere as “incredible.” “Little Amal received a wonderfully warm and loving welcome,” she added.

Amal was also serenaded by the Acadiana Symphony Youth Orchestra (Kids 4th-10th grade) with touching melodies at Parc International, adding a musical backdrop to a deeply moving event.

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The outpour of local sentiment continued on social media. Comments ranged from, “You came. You touched our hearts. You left us great, stronger and more inspired than ever before,” to “A piece of history passed through Lafayette this evening. #LittleAmal.”

Amal’s visit to Lafayette certainly wasn’t just a walk; it was an emotionally and culturally rich journey that brought the community together to celebrate the spirit of unity, hope, and empathy. Anyone who attended will definitely remember this experience for a long time to come.

 

 

 

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For those who missed it, see photos and videos of Little Amal’s journey through Lafayette through the eyes of locals who were on hand to witness this special moment.

Learn more about Little Amal and her walk here.