She’s called “Little Amal,” but the puppet depicting a 10-year-old Syrian refugee is not little at all. In fact, she’s a 12-foot-tall, international symbol of human rights who has already trekked more than 6,000 miles across 13 countries for a project called “The Walk.”

As part of her month-long “Amal Walks Across America” tour from Boston to San Diego, which kicks off Thursday, she’ll spend three days in the D.C. region (from Sept. 17-19), where more than two dozen local arts organizations, businesses, and NGOs are planning performances and interactive events to welcome her.

She’s already met Pope Francis, Jude Law, and Ukrainian refugees in Poland. The production team behind the project has even hinted at a potential White House visit — or at least a stop in front of the gates to the White House complex.

But besides her meetings with people in power, children are the project’s target audience.

Kids seem to love Amal, despite her dramatic appearance. Some are initially shocked or even frightened by how large she is–until they make eye contact with her, says Khadijat Oseni, associate artistic director of The Walk Productions, the main production company behind Amal.

“It’s magical, and the reactions run the gamut,” Oseni says. “You’re not expecting to encounter a 12-foot puppet coming down the city street, so that is the beauty of the mechanism that is Amal. And kids inherently understand her.”

The large puppet is operated by three to four puppeteers at a time; one for each arm, one for her back, and another on stilts who controls her torso and facial movements. A team of nine puppeteers travels with her, and she can travel roughly 0.7 miles at a time. (The South Africa-based Handspring Puppet Company designed and built Amal.)

https://twitter.com/walkwithamal/status/1663938830901149696

Amal means “hope” in Arabic. She’s based on a character in Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson’s play, The Jungle, which details life inside a refugee camp. Initially created to represent the impact of the Syrian civil war that’s now more than 12 years in, she’s come to embody the millions of children who have been displaced due to conflicts worldwide.

Hundreds of philanthropic organizations and global foundations have funded and supported the project, including the Bezos Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art. While it’s free to walk with Amal, she has already inspired thousands in donations; the Amal Fund has raised more than $330,000 toward a $5 million goal to provide food, shelter, and medical care to refugees around the world.

Amal’s creators hope her trip to the U.S. will continue to expand public perception of what it means to be a refugee, factoring in people who’ve been displaced by climate change and gentrification. “Through the lens of art, we’ve found that this is the most effective way of stretching perspectives, hearts, and minds,” says Oseni.

“Our hope for Amal is that she can spur conversations in communities across the country around the important role of refugees and newcomers in writing the ongoing story of the United States,” Amir Nizar Zuabi, artistic director for The Walk Productions, said in a statement.

Amal’s first trip to the U.S., a visit to New York last fall, was accompanied by a piece performed by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and its children’s chorus.

While she’s in the nation’s capital, Amal will walk to a soundtrack provided by local musicians. Washington Performing Arts, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Planet Word, and multiple Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are some of the groups involved in the performance elements of her visit.

Below, you can find additional details on each of Amal’s D.C.-area stops.

“I found a heavenly harvest,” 11:30 a.m., Sept. 17; The Big Chair, Anacostia

Little Amal kicks off her D.C. visit in Anacostia, at the iconic Big Chair, itself a larger-than-life monument. She’ll be in search of “something yummy to eat” and will stop by the Hillsdale Farmers Market for some fresh produce.

“The sounds of hope,” 3 p.m., Sept. 17; Black Lives Matter Plaza, Northwest D.C.

The homegrown music of go-go bands, marching bands, and gospel choirs will surround Amal as she walks from Black Lives Matter Plaza toward Franklin Park.

“Open arms, welcoming hearts,” 5:30 p.m., Sept. 17; Washington Monument, Northwest D.C.

Amal will walk the National Mall and visit the temporary exhibits on display this month — part of the “Pulling Together” project that’s challenging the concept of a national monument. In partnership with Welcome.US, Soze Agency, and The Shapiro Foundation, a group of “welcomers and newcomers” just like Amal will greet her and share their stories.

“I love to learn,” 10 a.m., Sept. 19; International High School at Langley Park, Prince George’s County

Amal will join art and theater classes at the Langley School, part of a partnership with Prince George’s County Public Schools and UNICEF USA.

“Little shoes, big journeys,” 4 p.m., Sept. 19; Freedom Plaza, Northwest D.C.

Amal’s journey in D.C. will conclude with a walk through a “sea of emergency blankets” down Pennsylvania Avenue, from Freedom Plaza to Capitol Hill, where she’ll present a collection of shoes “evoking the stories of millions of children on the move who seek safety and across borders.”

For more info on Little Amal’s walk across America, visit the website here.

This post has been updated to include the event on the National Mall on Sept. 17.