Its been nearly 8 months since mini-Andy was seen out in public and fans of the miniature adventurer have been wondering what became of their favourite miniature Travelling hero.
Today, after some persuasion, the whereabouts of our mini-Adventurer is revealed and the story of where he has been is finally made public.
After his last trip to Arundel in April of last year, mini-Andy was asked to go to the Sahara desert in Algeria for the 6th Sahara film festival with maxi-Andy.
The Sahara film festval is an internationally recognised festival that takes place in a refugee camp deep in the desert in the Spanish-speaking Sahara, and it has a fascinating history.
33 years ago, a tribe of people called the Saharawi lived in the Western Sahara on a lush piece of land, until one day the neighbours ,Morocco invaded and took the lush land for themselves, evicting the native people to the desert.
To make sure that they stayed there, the Moroccan government built a wall seperating the people from the land of their birth, and heavily landmined the border.
The Saharawi were left without land or nationality surrounded by deadly landmines and have been without rights in the desert in need of aid since.
The Spanish government has been unwilling to talk to the Moroccan government about the situation due to diplomatic ties, such as the fact that many Spanish fishermen fish in Moroccan waters among other things.
The film festival was put on to bring the plight of the Saharawi to the world stage and they've had some international stars trek out into the middle of the desert to voice their support for the cause, like Javier Bardem.
Now mini-Andy has decided to come out of hiding and add his mini-Voice to the fray and show solidarity with the Saharawi people and their cause, asking you to lobby for freedom for the Saharawi people and the removal of the Wall of Shame, that seperates them from their home.
Every year, the frustration of their plight leads some Saharawi to try and storm the wall, often resulting in landmine-inflicted deaths and injuries.
mini-Andy's present state reflects that of these victims, the hidden tragedy of colonisation in a faraway land.
Today, by showing himself and his state proudly to the world, our mini-Adventurer begins his road to recovery.
mini-Andy is back
Today, after some persuasion, the whereabouts of our mini-Adventurer is revealed and the story of where he has been is finally made public.
After his last trip to Arundel in April of last year, mini-Andy was asked to go to the Sahara desert in Algeria for the 6th Sahara film festival with maxi-Andy.
The Sahara film festval is an internationally recognised festival that takes place in a refugee camp deep in the desert in the Spanish-speaking Sahara, and it has a fascinating history.
33 years ago, a tribe of people called the Saharawi lived in the Western Sahara on a lush piece of land, until one day the neighbours ,Morocco invaded and took the lush land for themselves, evicting the native people to the desert.
To make sure that they stayed there, the Moroccan government built a wall seperating the people from the land of their birth, and heavily landmined the border.
The Saharawi were left without land or nationality surrounded by deadly landmines and have been without rights in the desert in need of aid since.
The Spanish government has been unwilling to talk to the Moroccan government about the situation due to diplomatic ties, such as the fact that many Spanish fishermen fish in Moroccan waters among other things.
The film festival was put on to bring the plight of the Saharawi to the world stage and they've had some international stars trek out into the middle of the desert to voice their support for the cause, like Javier Bardem.
Now mini-Andy has decided to come out of hiding and add his mini-Voice to the fray and show solidarity with the Saharawi people and their cause, asking you to lobby for freedom for the Saharawi people and the removal of the Wall of Shame, that seperates them from their home.
Every year, the frustration of their plight leads some Saharawi to try and storm the wall, often resulting in landmine-inflicted deaths and injuries.
mini-Andy's present state reflects that of these victims, the hidden tragedy of colonisation in a faraway land.
Today, by showing himself and his state proudly to the world, our mini-Adventurer begins his road to recovery.
mini-Andy is back
