With deep gratitude we acknowledge Little Amal and her journey of Hope and Love, and the extraordinary individuals who came together to join us in Welcoming Amal on her first day in Tkaronto.  

Little Amal arrived at Union Station and walked through the streets of downtown to Nathan Phillips Square.  She was greeted with ceremonial dances and drum songs, banners, butterflies, flowers, and with Dreamwalker Welcome Gestures.  Indigenous leaders honoured Amal with a poem and a round dance, honorary grandmothers offered words of advice, and the community rejoiced with music in the excitement of Amal’s arrival in Tkaronto.    

Our part of Amal’s extraordinary journey was co-created by Dreamwalker Conscious Bodies Ensemble Andrea Nann, Danielle Denichaud, Isaiah Gilson, Joshua Classic Roots DePerry, Kelsi James, Mayumi Lashbrook, Michelle Silagy, and Philip Davis with Shelby Wright.  

We were honoured to be joined by artists Roiana:kens, Tahirah Hodsman (Anu Veda), Rose and Hive Temple Grove: Anahita Azarmi, Angel Serapis,  Anna Sapershteyn, Christina Mannella, Danielle Denichaud, Jacqueline Castiglioni Frenay Leslie Brennan, Lynn Loutfi, Shireen Camilleri-Jafer; Site guides: Bee Lee Soh, Heather Nicol, Leslie Kestin, Mark Nicol, Paul Lewis, Ping Gu, Ranganathan Rajan  Welcome Gesture Ambassadors: Megan Nadain, Chenise Mitchell, Derek Souvannavong, Eve Atoms, Janice Pomer, Julianna Greco, Kunji Ikeda, Maggie Alguire, Michaela Bekenn, Molly Johnson, Robert Abubo, Robin McPhail,  Rupali Kapoor, Victoria Mata, Zita Nyarady, Alyson Reid, Ana Lima, Fran Rubio, Hüma Uster, Leah Dietrich, Leila lessem, Nava Waxman, Suzanne Barnes, Angela Xu, Dawn Obokata, Dorna Chee, Elizabeth Mitchell, Jeremy Tomlinson, Lorreto Freire,, Marilyn Yolles , Marline Price-Jones, Rowena Tam, Stephanie Topp, Violet Chee, Gillian Grant; Youth dancers from Pia Bouman School for Ballet and Creative Movement and Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre: Audrey Evers, Elisabeth Ranger, Ella Reid, Melina Christopoulos, Scarlett Day, Sophie Wedge, Zoe Cormack; Robert Binet and dancers of the National Ballet of Canada; Bobbi Jo Hart and the Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Canada butterfly ensemble; and members of COSTI, Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, and YMCA Youth Leadership Program.

Thank you ALL for sharing your love, kindness, inspiring offerings and deeply resonant presence.

The following organizations joined us on June 7th in welcoming Little Amal.  

COSTI

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières  

CCVT (Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture)  

YMCA Newcomer Youth Leadership Programme
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