Google doodles

[9A]

Jul 5, 2020

Venezuela Independence Day 2020




Today’s Doodle celebrates Venezuelan Independence Day on the 209th anniversary of its declaration of autonomy from Spanish rule. Cinco de julio [Fifth of July] is a time to honor the rich history of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and celebrate its independence.

On July 5, 1811, representatives of the seven provinces of Barcelona, Barinas, Caracas, Cumaná, Margarita, Mérida, and Trujillo cast their historic votes in favor of Venezuelan sovereignty. As depicted in today’s Doodle, the provinces are enshrined as seven stars on Venezuela’s tricolor flag, along with an eighth star added in 2006 to represent the former province of Guayana.

¡Feliz Día de la Independencia, Venezuela!

[9A]

April 23, 2021

Celebrating the Letter Ñ




Today’s Doodle artwork, illustrated by Barcelona-based guest artist Min, commemorates the consonant Ñ [pronounced “enye”]. The only letter in the Spanish alphabet that originated in Spain, the Ñ is not only a letter but a representation of Hispanic heritage and identity as well.

The Ñ’s story started with 12th-century Spanish scribes. While hand-copying Latin manuscripts, these scholars of the Middle Ages devised a plan to save time and parchment by shortening words with double letters. They combined the two figures into one and scrawled on top a tiny “n”—a symbol now known as a ”virgulilla” or tilde—to signify the change. Thus, “annus,” Latin for “year,” evolved into the Spanish “año.”

In 1803, it was officially entered into the Royal Spanish Academy’s dictionary, and in 1993, Spain passed legislation to protect its inclusion in computer keyboards on the grounds of its insuppressible cultural significance. In 2010, the United Nations declared April 23 a day to annually celebrate the Spanish language, one of the most commonly spoken in the world.

Today, the letter Ñ appears in more than 17,700 Spanish words, carving out a fundamental role within the language and Hispanic culture.

Additional concepts and drafts of the Doodle

[9A]

April 5, 2021

Sadri Alışık's 96th Birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Istanbul, Turkey-based guest artist Sedat Girgin, celebrates the 96th birthday of prolific Turkish comedian and actor Sadri Alışık.

Born in Istanbul on this day 1925, Mehmet Sadrettin “Sadri” Alışık fell in love with the performing arts at 7 years old after attending a local play. To hide his dramatic ambitions from his father, who disapproved of acting as a career, Alışık enrolled in a university painting program post-high school to disguise the time he spent acting in various Istanbul theatres.

Alışık’s clandestine devotion soon paid off, debuting on the silver screen in the 1944 film “Günahsizlar” [“The Innocent Ones”]. His film success led to decades of serious performances in historical and crime dramas before he showcased his dynamic acting skills in comedy. In 1963, he brought Tourist Ömer to life. A comedic and relatable portrayal of an everyday Turkish gentleman, Tourist Ömer was a smash hit that starred in eight movies, ],an iconic run that came to a sci-fi end in 1974 with “Ömer the Tourist in Star Trek.”

Outside of his more than 200 film and television appearances, Alışık loved to paint, sing Turkish classical music, and write poetry. He bid farewell to entertainment with his role in “Yengeç Sepeti” [“Crab Basket”], his 1994 cinematic swan song for which the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival awarded him Best Actor. Today, his legacy lives on in acting studios founded in Istanbul and Ankara, both named in his honor.

Happy birthday, Sadri Alışık! Thank you for setting the stage for the future of Turkish performing arts.

[9A]

April 23, 2013

National Sovereignty and Children's Day 2013

[9A]

April 23, 2017

National Sovereignty and Children's Day 2017




Turkey’s National Sovereignty and Children’s Day connects two important pieces of history; it’s when the Grand National Assembly of Turkey convened for the first time in 1920; and when the Turkish Republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, dedicated the fledgling Republic to the children who would inherit it.


Happy National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, Turkey!


Illustrated by guest artist, Ipek Konak

[9A]

April 23, 2012

National Sovereignty and Children's Day 2012

[9A]

April 23, 2011

National Sovereignty and Children's Day 2011 - Turkey

[9A]

April 23, 2016

Celebrating William Shakespeare and St. George's Day 2016



Today's Doodle celebrates St. George, the patron saint of England and famous for slaying a dragon. This year he shares the stage with one of the most prolific voices of our time: William Shakespeare.

A creative tour de force, Shakespeare officially wrote 38 plays in his 52 years, some of which you can spot in today's Doodle.


Over the past four centuries, Shakespeare's poems, plays and other works have taken on a life of their own on the page, stage and screen. You can explore some of his works and those he has has inspired in the Shakespeare gallery of Google’s Cultural Institute.

[9A]

April 23, 2014

Pixinguinha's 117th Birthday [born 1897]



Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho, known as Pixinguinha was a Brazilian composer, arranger, flautist and saxophonist born in Rio de Janeiro. Pixinguinha is considered one of the greatest Brazilian composers of popular music, particularly within the genre of music known as choro. By integrating the music of the older choro composers of the 19th century with contemporary jazz-like harmonies, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, and sophisticated arrangements, he introduced choro to a new audience and helped to popularize it as a uniquely Brazilian genre. He was also one of the first Brazilian musicians and composers to take advantage of the new professional opportunities offered to musicians by the new technologies of radio broadcasting and studio recording. Pixinguinha composed dozens of choros, including some of the best-known works in the genre such as "Carinhoso", "Glória", "Lamento" and "Um a Zero".

Compared to the older chorões of the late 19th century from which he drew inspiration, Pixinguinha's compositions were more sophisticated in their use of harmony, rhythm and counterpoint. Whereas many of the older compositions were intended to be played on piano, Pixinguinha's works took full advantage of the larger musical groups [regionais] with which he worked, incorporating intricate melodic lines, brassy fanfares, contrapuntal bass lines, and highly syncopated rhythms. Pixinguinha was one of the first band leaders to regularly include afro-Brazilian percussion instruments, such as the pandeiro and afoxé, that have now become standard in choro and samba music.

His arrangements were probably influenced by the sound of ragtime and American jazz bands that became popular early in his career. When he released "Carinhoso" in 1930 and "Lamentos" in 1928, Pixinguinha was criticized for incorporating too much of a jazz sound into his work. Today these famous compositions have become a respected part of the choro canon.


Pixinguinha playing saxophone

[9A]

September 19, 2021

Paulo Freire's 100th Birthday



Today's Doodle celebrates the centennial birthday of Brazilian philosopher, educator, and author Paulo Freire. He is widely appreciated as one of the most influential educational thinkers of the 20th century.

Paulo Reglu Neves Freire was born on this day in 1921 in Recife, Brazil, then a mostly impoverished region affected by the echoes of colonialism and slavery. Coming of age alongside poor rural families while his own family experienced hunger, grounded his understanding of the interconnected relationship between socioeconomic status and education. From then on, Freire made it his mission to improve the lives of marginalized people.

In 1947, Freire began a decade-long position providing social services to the Brazilian working class, which was foundational to the creation of his universal educational model一awareness [the development of critical consciousness]. This groundbreaking methodology calls for the cultural exchange between teacher and student through the lens of their socio-historical circumstances with the aim of creating a democratic society free of illiteracy.

In 1962, he applied awareness with radical success—teaching 300 farmworkers to read and write in only 45 days! However, these ideals proved too radical for the newly established Brazilian government in 1964 and he was forced into exile until 1979. During this period, Freire published his acclaimed 1968 book “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” which brought his revolutionary teaching philosophy to a wide international audience.

He continued his educational journey abroad before returning to Brazil in 1980 to lead an adult literacy project. In 1988, Freire began working as São Paulo's Minister of Education, implementing innovative literary programs. Today, his work lives on at the Freire Institute, an international organization devoted to educational advancement and societal transformation through his teachings.

Happy Birthday, Paulo Freire!

[9A]

September 19, 2013

Robert Storm Petersen's 131st Birthday





Robert Storm Petersen was a Danish cartoonist, writer, animator, illustrator, painter and humorist. He is known almost exclusively by his pen name Storm P.

Petersen left about 60,000 drawings and 100 paintings of varied quality. His drawings are very often illustrated jokes, or series of a theme besides artist sketches. Among his favourite themes are the vagabonds – who are portrayed as dressed-up petty philosophers – and the circus milieu that he regarded with much warmth.

He is perhaps best known for his Storm P. machines, comic drawings of machines that perform very simple tasks through an unnecessarily complex and usually humorous series of actions. Other cartoonists who are known for similar machine drawings are Rube Goldberg and Heath Robinson. Besides that, he illustrated many books, often written by congenial authors – Mark Twain, Jerome K. Jerome and G. K. Chesterton, among others.

As a painter he is clearly influenced by names like Edvard Munch and Toulouse-Lautrec, but often with an independent naivist touch. Later on, Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky seem to have been an inspiration in spite of his often outspoken ridiculing of modern art. Among his many themes are extérieurs from Paris. La Morgue [1906] and Kultur [1908] are two of his most well known paintings.

Storm P. Museum is located at Frederiksberg. Storm P. Museum first opened its doors to the public in 1977. The museum building is housed in a former police station which dates back to the mid-1880s. The museum features expressionistic watercolors and oil painting together with a comic strip library, sound clips, photographs, films and newspaper clippings. The museum also hosts a variety of changing exhibitions and educational activities.

[9A]

December 14, 2016

105th Anniversary of First Expedition to Reach the South Pole




Today marks the 105th anniversary of Roald Amundsen's expedition to the South Pole. Known as "the last of the Vikings," Amundsen was a lifelong adventurer with a gift for organization and planning. "Victory awaits him who has everything in order," wrote Amundsen, and his South Pole journey was a perfect illustration of that principle.

Amundsen's expedition party consisted of 19 people and nearly 100 Greenland sled dogs. The dogs -- along with the use of skis to cross treacherous terrain -- were key to the team's success. And like their canine companions, the explorers knew that playfulness could help them endure the extreme conditions on the icy frontier. While prepping from Framheim, their base camp in the Bay of Whales, the team maintained a sense of fun. They held guess-the-temperature contests, celebrated birthdays, and told stories. When a subset of the crew made the final trek to the South Pole in December of 1911, their camaraderie and careful preparation helped them win the race to "the bottom of the world."

In honor of that achievement, today's Doodle depicts the crew at the finish line, taking a moment to bask in the glory while the Antarctic wind whips outside their tent.

[9A]

December 14, 2018

Dolores Olmedo’s 110th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and legacy of Dolores Olmedo, a close friend of Diego Rivera and owner of the world’s most important private collection of the modernist master’s work—as well as several xoloitzcuintles, the Mexican hairless dogs she adored. Olmedo also acquired many paintings by Rivera’s wife, Frida Kahlo, and donated her collection to the people of Mexico, where it is displayed in her former home. “I lived with this art for most of my life,'' she said. “Who knows better than me how it should be displayed?”

Born in Mexico City on this day in 1913, Dolores Olmedo was 17 years old when she visited the Ministry of Education with her mother, who worked as a schoolteacher. On the elevator, they bumped into Rivera, who was painting murals in the building. He asked Olmedo’s mother if he could make some sketches of her. The artist completed 27 sketches of Olmedo and established a lifelong connection.

During the 1940s, Olmedo—also known as Doña Lola—went on to become a successful real estate developer, one of the first Mexican women to excel in the field. During Rivera’s final years in the 1950s, he moved into Olmedo’s estate in Xochimilco, a neighborhood in the southern part of Mexico City. The artist sold her dozens of his own paintings and drawings, as well as 25 paintings by Kahlo, in hopes that the work would remain in their homeland. OImedo also oversaw both artists’ estates.

The Museo Dolores Olmedo opened in September 1994, inside her sixteenth-century stone residence, formerly known as the Hacienda La Noria. The museum is also a centerpoint for Day of the Dead celebrations as Olmedo would often organize an ofrenda, or altar, in honor of Diego Rivera. The museum’s collection includes a wide range of Rivera’s works over the many decades of his career as well as the world’s largest collection of Kahlo paintings and illustrations by Angelina Beloff, who worked with Rivera in Europe during the early 20th century. The work is displayed in an intimate setting, amidst Olmedo’s personal furnishings and peacocks strolling through gardens. ''I will always defend his work energetically,'' she wrote about Rivera in her museum's catalog, and she has stood by her word.

Feliz cumpleaños, Doña Lola!


Doodle by Sophie Diao

[9A]

May 24, 2019

Concha Michel’s 120th Birthday




She sang duets with Frida Kahlo, performed for John D. Rockefeller, modeled for Diego Rivera, and traveled the world supported only by her voice and her guitar. Today’s Doodle by Mexico-based guest artist Emilia Schettino celebrates the life of the Mexican musician, folklorist, and activist Concha Michel.

Born in Villa de Purificación, Jalisco, on this day in 1899, Concepción Michel was described as “ungovernable” as a child but fell in love with music early, learning to sing and play guitar at a Catholic convent founded by her grandfather.

Known for her indigenous Mexican attire, Michel wore embroidered dresses with braided hair in the style of Mexico’s Tehuana women. She traveled throughout Mexico learning traditional songs and singing her own corridos revolucionarios or revolutionary ballads, becoming one of the few women singing this traditional Mexican form at the time.

During the 1930s she traveled to the United States where she performed at the Museum of Modern Art and the Rockefeller’s grand home. Proceeds of her performances paid for trips to Europe and the Soviet Union, where she met feminist thinkers like Clara Zetkin and Alexandra Kollontai.

In 1950, she established the Folklore Institute in Morelia, Michoacán, part of a lifelong effort to preserve Mexico’s indigenous culture. As she put it in her autobiography, “The world was my university; my graduation, voluntary. My experience was direct, confirmed by life.”

[9A]

May 24, 2007
Cyrillic Alphabet Day 2007





Numerous Cyrillic alphabets are based on the Cyrillic script. The early Cyrillic alphabet was developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 9th century AD [[in all probability in Ravna Monastery) at the Preslav Literary School by Saint Clement of Ohrid and Saint Naum and replaced the earlier Glagolitic script developed by the Byzantine theologians Cyril and Methodius [[in all probability in Polychron). It is the basis of alphabets used in various languages, past and present, in parts of Southeastern Europe and Northern Eurasia, especially those of Slavic origin, and non-Slavic languages influenced by Russian. As of 2011, around 252 million people in Eurasia use it as the official alphabet for their national languages. About half of them are in Russia. Cyrillic is one of the most-used writing systems in the world.

[9A]

October 27, 2020

Dr. Stamen Grigorov’s 142nd Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 142nd birthday of Bulgarian physician and microbiologist Dr. Stamen Grigorov, the first scientist to discover the bacterium essential to the fermentation of yogurt. Grigorov also contributed to the development of the world’s first tuberculosis vaccine.

Stamen Grigorov was born on this day in 1878 in the village of Studen Izvor, located in the Trun region of western Bulgaria. Passionate about science from a young age, he went on to earn a doctorate from the Medical University of Geneva, Switzerland. Following his wedding in 1904, Grigorov returned to the university to work as a research assistant.

As a reminder of home, Grigorov’s wife gifted him with some Bulgarian culinary staples, including yogurt. Intrigued by yogurt’s reputed health benefits, Grigorov decided to inspect it under a microscope. Following thousands of experiments, in 1905 he finally found what he was looking for: the rod-shaped microorganism that causes yogurt’s fermentation. The bacterium was later renamed Lactobacillus bulgaricus in honor of Grigorov’s home country.

Later that year, Grigorov took a position as chief physician at a local hospital in his hometown of Trun. In 1906, he released a groundbreaking paper demonstrating the first use of penicillin fungi against tuberculosis. He continued this research and worked as a doctor throughout the rest of his life, saving thousands of lives along the way.

In honor of Grigorov’s legacy, his home village of Studen Izvor today houses one of the world’s only museums of yogurt.

Честит Рожден ден, Dr. Grigorov!

[9A]

September 23, 2016

358th Anniversary of Tea in the UK



Tea drinking is a thoroughly British pastime, whether it’s a mug of steaming builder’s tea or a delicate cup and saucer served with cucumber sandwiches. It’s not known when the first cuppa was enjoyed in the UK, but we do know that the first advert for tea in England appeared on this date in a publication from 1658 describing it simply as a “China Drink.” A couple of years later, English Naval Administrator Samuel Pepys wrote about drinking tea in his diary entry from 1660.

Chinese tea was reportedly drunk by Europeans as early as the 16th century, a trend spearheaded by Dutch and Portuguese traders. British coffee shops were selling tea in the 17th century, though drinking it was considered an expensive, upper-class privilege. By the 19th century, The East India Company was using fast ships called tea clippers to transport leaves from India and China to England’s docks. The Cutty Sark is the only surviving clipper of its kind and can still be visited in Greenwich.

As tea became more readily available, dedicated tea shops began popping up throughout the UK, becoming favorite spots for daytime socialising. Tea was well on its way to becoming a British tradition.

As today’s animated Doodle illustrates, tea cups come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Whatever your favorite vessel may be, we hope you enjoy a cuppa or two of this enduring drink today.

[9A]

September 23, 2015

First Day of Fall 2015 [Northern Hemisphere]




Notice what’s been popping up lately? Pumpkins, squash, and some curious little critters, hungry for a harvest?

No surprise – today’s the first day of fall! It’s also known as the Autumnal Equinox, a time when day and night are equally long... meaning nature’s about to make way for the shorter days of winter. Today's doodle, created by guest artist Kirsten Lepore, shows off the colorful offerings of fall we’ll enjoy during the cooler months ahead.

[9A]

Sep 24, 2012

Howard Florey's 114th Birthday





Howard Walter Florey, Baron Florey was an Australian pharmacologist and pathologist who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 with Sir Ernst Chain and Sir Alexander Fleming for his role in the development of penicillin.

Although Fleming received most of the credit for the discovery of penicillin, it was Florey who carried out the first clinical trials of penicillin in 1941 at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford on the first patient, a police constable from Oxford. The patient started to recover, but subsequently died because Florey was unable, at that time, to make enough penicillin. It was Florey and Chain who actually made a useful and effective drug out of penicillin, after the task had been abandoned as too difficult.

Florey's discoveries, along with the discoveries of Fleming and Ernst Chain, are estimated to have saved over 200 million lives, and he is consequently regarded by the Australian scientific and medical community as one of its greatest figures. Sir Robert Menzies, Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister, said, "In terms of world well-being, Florey was the most important man ever born in Australia."

[9A]

October 6, 2021

Margaret Fulton's 97th Birthday





In 1970s Australian kitchens, no other cookbooks were more common than those authored by beloved Scottish-born Australian food writer and journalist Margaret Fulton. Today’s Doodle celebrates Fulton’s 97th birthday and her legacy of spicing up the Australian palate with international cuisine.

Born on this day in 1924 in Nairn, Scotland, Margaret Fulton emigrated to New South Wales at three years old. At 18, Fulton moved to Sydney in the hope of becoming a dress designer, but after hearing a prediction that the food industry would boom in post-war Australia, she instead pursued a career in cookery. In 1947, Fulton took a position as a cooking teacher for a utility company, where she found her passion for developing easy-to-follow recipes while teaching a class for visually impaired home cooks.

Fulton refined her recipes in the decades that followed while working as a pressure cooker salesperson, advertising executive, and food journalist. In 1968, she published the first of 25 cookbooks titled “The Margaret Fulton Cookbook” which has sold over 1.5 million copies.

Although international fare was already the standard in countless kitchens around the continent, the bulk of the Anglo-Australian populace had retained a relatively simple culinary tradition for decades. Thanks to innovators such as Fulton who were inspired by these cooking traditions, many Australian households broke convention to embrace new ways to feed their families—a powerful cultural phenomenon that contributed to the country’s modern status as a culinary melting pot.

Happy birthday, Margaret Fulton—here’s to your gastronomical impact on the world of food!

[9A]

May 12, 2017

Por Intalapalit’s 107th Birthday






Tireless Thai writer Por Intalapalit was born on this date in 1910. Famous for Sam Kler [or SamGler], a novel series that spanned more than 1,000 books, Intalapalit was nothing short of prolific.

Popular in the 1960s and 1970s, Sam Kler ["The Three Buddies"] revolved around the comic adventures and antics of three main characters: Pol, Nikorn, and Kim-nguan [with the later addition of the scientist Dr. Direk]. Together the pals sparred in boxing matches, trekked through jungles, wrangled with monsters, and encountered UFOs. Several of the stories were also developed into well-known TV shows and movies, including Sam Kler Jer Long Hon, a Cold War-themed film starring legendary Thai actor Mitr Chaibancha.

Today's Doodle was inspired by Por Intalapalit’s beloved characters and colorful, mod-era book covers.

[9A]

May 12, 2012

Edward Lear's 200th Birthday




Edward Lear was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, now known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised. His principal areas of work as an artist were threefold: as a draughtsman employed to make illustrations of birds and animals; making coloured drawings during his journeys, which he reworked later, sometimes as plates for his travel books; and as a [minor] illustrator of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poems. As an author, he is known principally for his popular nonsense collections of poems, songs, short stories, botanical drawings, recipes and alphabets. He also composed and published twelve musical settings of Tennyson's poetry.

[9A]

May 16, 2014

Maria Gaetana Agnesi's 296th Birthday




Maria Gaetana Agnesi was an Italian mathematician, philosopher, theologian, and humanitarian. She was the first woman to write a mathematics handbook and the first woman appointed as a mathematics professor at a university.

She is credited with writing the first book discussing both differential and integral calculus and was a member of the faculty at the University of Bologna, although she never served.

In 1996, an asteroid, 16765 Agnesi, was named after Agnesi. There is also a crater on Venus named Agnesi after her, as well as a mathematical curve named the Witch of Agnesi.

[9A]

June 28, 2012

Sergiu Celibidache's 100th Birthday





Sergiu Celibidache was a Romanian conductor, composer, musical theorist, and teacher. Educated in his native Romania, and later in Paris and Berlin, Celibidache's career in music spanned over five decades, including tenures as principal conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Sicilian Symphony Orchestra and several other European orchestras. Later in life, he taught at Mainz University in Germany and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Celibidache frequently refused to release his performances on commercial recordings during his lifetime, claiming that a listener could not have a "transcendental experience" outside the concert hall. Many of the recordings of his performances were released posthumously. He has nonetheless earned international acclaim for his interpretations of the classical repertoire and was known for a spirited performance style informed by his study and experiences in Zen Buddhism. He is regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century.

[9A]

June 28, 2012

Luigi Pirandello's 145th Birthday







Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre." He was an Italian nationalist and supported Fascism in a moderate way, at one point giving his Nobel Prize medal to the Fascist government to be melted down as part of the 1935 Oro alla Patria ["Gold to the Fatherland"] campaign during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. Pirandello's works include novels, hundreds of short stories, and about 40 plays, some of which are written in Sicilian. Pirandello's tragic farces are often seen as forerunners of the Theatre of the Absurd.

[9A]

October 12, 2021

Eugenio Montale's 125th Birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Aosta, Italy-based guest artist Andrea Serio, celebrates the 125th birthday of Italian poet, critic, and translator Eugenio Montale. Renowned for his masterful ability to capture human emotion, he is widely considered one of the greatest poets of contemporary history.

Born on this day in 1896 in the Italian port city of Genoa, Eugenio Montale first pursued a career as a baritone opera singer before finding his true voice as a poet. In a poem from “Ossi di Seppia”[“Cuttlefish Bones,” 1925], his first published collection, Montale used the rocky Italian coast as a symbol to provide both his readers and himself an escape from the anxiety of postwar Italy. This critically acclaimed collection differed from the extravagant language in poems of the time, and represented a turn in the tide for 20th-century literary symbolists.

Although he rejected the label, Montale is considered among the founders of the modernist poetic movement of Hermeticism—a “hermetic” [hidden or sealed] literary style often achieved through purposefully hard-to-interpret analogies and emotional vocabulary. Montale garnered worldwide fame for five volumes of symbolist poetry published during his 50-year writing career. In addition, he worked as an internationally renowned essayist, music and literary critic, and translator of English classics ranging from Shakespeare to Mark Twain.

In 1975, Montale’s uncompromising verse was recognized at the highest level when he received the Nobel Prize in Literature. Often alluded to in the work of modern poets—Montale’s famously difficult poetry continues to have a profound effect on the literary world today.

Happy birthday, Eugenio Montale!

[9A]

January 20, 2019

Louay Kayali’s 85th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrate the work of Louay Kayali, a modern painter born in Syria and trained in Italy whose quietly powerful portraits convey the strength, resilience, and nobility of everyday folk—bakers, fisherman, and pregnant mothers.

Born in Aleppo on this day in 1934, Louay Kayali began painting at the age of 11 and held his first exhibition when he was 18 at Al-Tajhis Al-Oula School. Awarded a scholarship, Kayali moved to Italy in 1956 for advanced studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and went on to represent Syria at the 1960 Venice Biennale—a prestigious international art exhibition.

Joining the faculty of the Higher Institute for the Fine Arts in Damascus in 1962, Kayali’s instruction made a profound impact on future generations of Syrian artists. During the mid-1960s, he began a series of charcoal works which marked a departure from his previous paintings. The emotionally challenging images in his 1967 traveling exhibition “Fi Sabil al-Qadiyyah” [For the Sake of the Cause] depicted human suffering, reflecting upheaval in the Arab world. Upset by scathing reviews of the show, the artist announced that he would no longer paint, and destroyed much of his work. Fortunately, he did return to painting, showing new work throughout the 1970s, including a joint exhibition with his old friend Fateh al-Moudarres.

On what would have been his 85th birthday, we remember Louay Kayali, a passionate artist who aimed to paint exactly what he saw—and felt.

[9A]

June 26, 2020

Olive Morris' 68th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates British activist Olive Morris on her 68th birthday. Morris is widely recognised as a prominent voice of leadership in the fight against discrimination in Great Britain during the 1970s.

Olive Elaine Morris was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica on this day in 1952 and moved to London before she turned 10. A catalysing moment in Morris’ life of activism occurred when she was just 17, when she witnessed the arrest and beating of a Nigerian diplomat whom police had stopped on the basis of the “sus” laws of the time, similar to today’s “stop-and-search” policies. In response to this injustice, Morris intervened to try to protect the diplomat and prevent the arrest. As a result, she was arrested, held, and physically assaulted. This incident ignited Morris’ determination to take action, and she soon joined the Black Panthers’ Youth Collective to oppose systemic racism within Britain.

Morris took a leadership role in the push toward justice across many areas of society, including fighting for racial equality, gender equality, and squatters’ rights. After heading protests and demonstrations, she helped to found the Brixton Black Women’s Group in 1973, one of Britain’s first networks for Black women.

Despite leaving secondary school with no qualifications, Morris enrolled in 1975 at Manchester University, where she earned a degree in social sciences and fought tirelessly for issues like international students’ rights. She also traveled extensively around the world, from China to Algeria, which greatly informed her approach to activism back home. In 1978, she co-founded the Organisation of Women of Asian and African Descent, considered instrumental in rallying movements for change.

In honor of Morris’ lifetime of activism, she was selected in 2015 to appear on the Brixton Pound, a currency designed to foster local business within the South London neighborhood she served during her lifetime. Today’s Doodle features Morris’ portrait on a wall in South London, surrounded by the local community the Brixton Pound that featured her was intended to support. Her commitment to fighting for equality and justice continues to inspire today.

Early concept and sketch of the Doodle

[9A]

June 26, 2018

World Cup 2018 - Day 13






The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia is underway! Over the next month, players from the men's national teams of 32 countries will compete for top rank across 12 venues in 11 cities around the country. With a total of 64 matches [and plenty of GOOOALS!], the games will culminate at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 15.

This year's Doodle series celebrates the rich cultures and talent of all 32 participating countries by featuring guest artists hailing from each nation! Tune in to catch all 32 Doodles throughout the games, each illustrating the artist's interpretation of "What ⚽ looks like in my country."

[9A]

June 26, 2014

World Cup 2014 #35




May the best team win in today's USA vs. Germany showdown!

[9A]

June 26, 2010

Sunthorn Phu's 224th Birthday



Phra Sunthonwohan is Thailand's best-known royal poet. He wrote during the Rattanakosin period.

Phu's career as a royal poet began in the reign of King Rama II, and when the king died, he resigned from the role and became a monk. Twenty years later, in the reign of King Rama III, he returned to court as a royal scribe, where he remained for the rest of his life.

Phu was renowned for composing verse, and his epic poetry is popular in Thailand to the present day. His works include Nirat Phukhao Thong, a collection of poems recounting his journey to the Golden Mountain; Nirat Suphan, his journey to Suphanburi Province; and the Phra Aphai Mani saga.

[9A]

June 26, 2014

World Cup 2014 #36

[9A]

June 26, 2011

Women's World Cup Opening

[9A]

October 18, 2021

Yoram Gross' 95th Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates the 95th birthday of Polish-born, Australian director, scriptwriter, producer, and animation giant Yoram Gross—a survivor of the Holocaust who became the creative mastermind behind some of Australia’s most iconic cartoons. Gross captivated generations with stories that surpassed mere entertainment as each passed down a lesson drawn from a lifetime of optimism and overcoming hardship.

Yoram “Jerzy” Gross was born on this day into a Jewish family in 1926 in Krakow, Poland. After the near collapse of the Polish film industry during World War II, Gross worked as an assistant on his first movie in 1947. He moved to Israel in 1950, where his independent film work garnered renown globally, especially in Australia.

He heeded the enthusiastic praise of Australian critics and migrated down under in 1968 to further evolve his production repertoire by founding Yoram Gross Film Studios with his wife, Sandra Gross. To address the lack of Australian-made children’s movies, Gross combined animation with live-action backgrounds—a style that became his trademark—to produce the full-length 1977 animated blockbuster “Dot and the Kangaroo.” This quintessential Aussie story became the nation’s first animated feature to achieve commercial success.

The film’s excellent reception set the stage for Gross to create an empire of family-friendly animated television series. His work has since been aired in over 70 countries and continues to entertain and inspire millions with beloved characters such as Blinky Bill, the mischievous Koala. Gross and his legacy live on in the Yoram Gross Animation Award, an annual award acknowledging the best animated feature at the Sydney Film Festival.

Happy Birthday, Yoram Gross—here’s to an animated life!

I wanted to make Australian animated films about Australian life and Australian characters but with timeless and universal appeal that will make children from all over the world smile. - Yoram Gross



Yoram Gross behind the camera




Yoram Gross with his Order of Australia Award in 1995

[9A]

October 18, 2019

Kita Kusunose’s 183rd Birthday




“It is strange that despite paying taxes, I do not have the right to vote because I am a woman,” wrote Kita Kusunose in her famous 1878 letter to Japanese officials. “If I don’t have the right to vote then I won’t pay my taxes.” Today’s Doodle celebrates the birth of a self-described “common woman” who’s now fondly remembered as Minken Baasan, “the people’s rights granny.”

Born in Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku on this day in 1836, Kita married at age 21 and took over as the head of her household after her husband’s passing. Denied the right to vote in local elections just because she was a woman, she refused to pay her property tax with the belief that duty and rights should coexist, and sent a letter to the prefectural governor explaining her decision. As the first public petition written by a Japanese woman, Kita’s letter caused quite a stir. When her argument was dismissed by local authorities she took her case to Japan’s national ministry, after which it was reprinted in newspapers.

During the Meiji Era [1868 to 1912], Japanese society was undergoing a period of great transition under Emperor Mutsuhito. Kita’s letter sparked a national debate about women’s rights that led to changes in voting laws for parts of her home prefecture, allowing some women to vote for the first time in 1880. Although the rights were denied four years later, Kita is remembered as a pioneer for women’s suffrage, which was finally extended nationwide in Japan in 1946.

Kita was also an advocate for education and is honored at the Kochi Liberty and Peoples’ Rights Museum, which opened in her hometown in 1990.

[9A]

October 18, 2018

Laura Esther Rodríguez Dulanto’s 146th Birthday





Born in the Supe District of Lima on this day in 1872, Laura Esther Rodríguez-Dulanto was a physician who broke many barriers for women in Peru. Though she excelled in school from a very young age, her parents were frustrated that educational options were limited for women—no matter how gifted or motivated they might be.

There were no secondary schools for girls, much less universities or postgraduate programs. Nevertheless, Rodríguez-Dulanto’s parents persisted, appealing to local authorities until a special jury was appointed by the Ministry of Education to allow the gifted young student to advance her studies. With help from her older brother Abraham, who would teach her everything he learned after returning home from school, Rodríguez-Dulanto passed her high school exams. With a combination of intelligence, motivation, and a very supportive family, Laura Esther Rodríguez-Dulanto became the first Peruvian woman to attend college as well as the first female physician in the nation’s history.

Though it was a great achievement to begin her studies at the National University of San Marcos, 19-year-old Rodríguez-Dulanto still faced numerous obstacles. While the male students worked with human cadavers in anatomy class, she would have to sit behind a screen to conceal her presence. During her third year of medical school, she was allowed to perform dissections in a special room, accompanied by her brother who was also studying medicine. In September 1900, her hard work paid off when she earned her Bachelor of Medicine, taking her Hippocratic Oath a month later.

Rodríguez-Dulanto specialized in gynecology, publishing papers on ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids. She went on to co-found Peru’s first nursing school, teaching anatomy, physiology and hygiene, and paving the way for other women to pursue careers in medicine. Her legacy is honored with a bust in a public park in Lima, Peru, as well as a hospital in her home town of Supe, which is named after her.

Happy Birthday Dr. Laura Esther Rodríguez-Dulanto!

[9A]

September 1, 2020

Celebrating Dr. Harold Moody




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Dublin-based guest artist Charlot Kristensen, celebrates Jamaican-born British doctor, racial equality campaigner, and founder of the U.K.'s first civil rights movement Dr. Harold Moody. On this day in 1904, Dr. Moody arrived in the U.K. from Jamaica to pursue his medical studies at King’s College London. Alongside his medical work, he dedicated his life to campaigning for racial equality and advocating against discrimination.

Harold Arundel Moody was born on October 8, 1882, in the Jamaican capital of Kingston. He received early exposure to the medical field while in secondary school through his work for his father’s pharmaceutical business. Determined to become a doctor, he left Jamaica in 1904 to study medicine in London.

Dr. Moody soon came face-to-face with rampant racism in Edwardian London. Even though he qualified to practice medicine, finished top of his class, and won numerous academic prizes, he was repeatedly refused work due to the color bar system that denied people opportunities based on race. Instead, he opened his own private medical practice in Peckham, South East London—the neighborhood that inspired the design of the buildings situated below Dr. Moody in today’s Doodle. The children depicted represent the countless impoverished youth Dr. Moody would treat free of charge, in a time before the U.K. had a National Health Service. In doing so, Dr. Moody earned a reputation as a compassionate humanitarian and philanthropist who would always help those in need.

Dr. Moody’s determination to improve the lives of those around him wasn’t limited to his medical practice—he simultaneously focused his attention on combating racial injustice as well. He founded the League of Coloured Peoples in 1931 with the mission to fight for racial equality both in the U.K. and around the world. The group pushed for change, at a government level, to combat discrimination in its many forms.

Thank you, Dr. Moody, for paving the way towards a more equal future.

[9A]

September 1, 2008

Filopimin Finos' Birthday



Filopimin Finos [Greek: Φιλοποίμην Φίνος; 1908 – January 26, 1977] was a Greek film producer of 186 films and the founder of Finos Film, whose first film was in 1939. He built the first sound recording device in Greece, and shot the first colour film with stereo sound. Finos died in January 1977 after suffering cancer for seven years and he left no heir.

[9A]

October 27, 2021

Otto Wichterle's 108th Birthday



Are you one of the estimated 140 million people around the world who wears contact lenses? Whether your answer is yes or no, the story of the Czech chemist who invented the soft contact lens—Otto Wichterle—might give you some fresh insight. Today’s Doodle celebrates Wichterle’s life and legacy on his 108th birthday.

Otto Wichterle was born on this day in 1913 in Prostĕjov, the Czech Republic [then, Austria-Hungary]. As a lover of science from his youth, Wichterle went on to earn his doctorate in organic chemistry in 1936 from the Prague Institute of Chemical Technology [ICT]. He taught as a professor at his alma mater during the 1950s while developing an absorbent and transparent gel for eye implants.

Political turmoil pushed Wichterle out of the ICT, leading him to continue refining his hydrogel development at home. In 1961, Wichterle [a glasses wearer himself] produced the first soft contact lenses with a DIY apparatus made of a child’s erector set, a bicycle light battery, a phonograph motor, and homemade glass tubing and molds. As the inventor of countless patents and a lifelong researcher, Wichterle was elected the first President of the Academy of the Czech Republic following the country’s establishment in 1993.

While Wichterle is most well-known as the inventor of contact lenses, his innovations also laid the foundation for state-of-the-art medical technologies such as “smart” biomaterials, which are used to restore human connective tissues, and bio-recognizable polymers, which have inspired a new standard for drug administration.

Happy birthday, Otto Wichterle—thanks for helping the world see eye to eye!

[9A]

October 27, 2018

Stella Adadevoh’s 62nd Birthday






Today’s Doodle celebrates Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, the physician whose expertise and heroic efforts curbed the spread of Ebola in Nigeria in 2014.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria on this day in 1956, Dr. Adadevoh descended from a long line of respected scientists and statesmen. Dr. Adadevoh completed her residency at Lagos University Teaching Hospital West African College of Physicians and Surgeons credential before doing a fellowship in London. Following her fellowship in endocrinology at Hammersmith Hospital, she returned to Lagos, Nigeria where she spent 21 years at the First Consultants Medical Center and served as the Lead Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist.

In July 2014 a Liberian-American attorney arrived in Lagos on a flight from Monrovia heading to a conference on economic development and collapsed in the airport. The patient was taken to First Consultant Medical Center, where one of Dr. Adadevoh’s colleagues first diagnosed him as suffering from malaria. Although no Nigerian doctor had seen a case of Ebola before, Dr. Adadevoh suspected the patient might have been exposed to the highly contagious virus and subsequently ordered blood tests to confirm while also alerting Nigerian health officials.

While awaiting test results, Dr. Adadevoh was pressured by Liberian government officials to let the patient go so he could attend the conference as planned. Despite threats of lawsuits, Dr. Adadevoh stood firm, stating that she would not release the patient “for the greater public good.”

The test results came back positive for the Ebola virus and while the patient could not be treated in time, Dr. Adadevoh’s medical insight and the courage of her convictions ensured that other exposed patients could be treated rapidly and that the outbreak was contained. Unfortunately, in treating the initial patients, Dr. Adedevoh contracted the virus and passed away, along with three of her colleagues at the medical center.

Her legacy lives on through DRASA [Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh] Health Trust, a nonprofit organization devoted to public health that works with communities and health workers to reduce the spread of infectious diseases and ensure that Nigeria is well prepared for future outbreaks.

Happy Birthday Dr. Adadevoh!

[9A]

July 18, 2021

Pearl Gibbs “Gambanyi’s” 120th Birthday



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Yuwi, Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander guest artist Dylan Mooney, celebrates revolutionary Aboriginal Australian activist Pearl Gibbs “Gambanyi”, who is widely regarded among the 20th-century’s leading advocates for Aboriginal rights.

Pearl Mary Gibbs “Gambanyi” was born on this day in 1901 to an Aboriginal mother and a non-Aboriginal father in La Perouse, New South Wales. At 16, Gibbs moved with her family to Sydney, where she worked as a servant. It was here that she met Aboriginal girls stolen from their homes and forced into domestic work—injustices that sparked her lifetime devotion to the fight for Aboriginal rights.

In 1937, Gibbs helped form the Aborigines Progressive Association [APA], an all-Aboriginal activist alliance that campaigned for Aboriginal citizenship, suffrage, and an end to unjust governmental bodies. As APA secretary beginning in 1938, she exposed the inhumane conditions and exploitation of women and children at government-run Aboriginal reserves. A public speaker as charismatic as she was influential, Gibbs helped organize the Day of Mourning protest that same year. Widely credited as the catalyst of the contemporary Aboriginal political movement, this demonstration was the first to bring the plight of Indigenous Australians to national attention.

Gibbs never faltered in her efforts for Indigenous justice over the decades that followed, a struggle that culminated in 1954 when the New South Wales Aborigines Welfare Board appointed her as its first—and only—female member. She also helped organize the Aboriginal-Australian Fellowship [AAF] in 1956. With Gibbs at the helm, the AAF petitioned for a change in the Australian constitution, which paved the way for the 1967 referendum that granted Indigenous Australians suffrage and citizenship.

Today’s Doodle artwork depicts Gibbs’ life, legacy, and dedication to improving the lives of Aboriginal Australians—symbolized, for instance, by the Flannel Flowers on her dress, an icon she adopted to represent resilience.

Happy Birthday, Pearl Gibbs “Gambanyi,” and thank you for your lifetime devotion to building a more equitable world.

[9A]

Jul 20, 2021

Colombia Independence Day 2021






Today’s Doodle honors Colombia’s Independence Day. On this day in 1810, the South American nation’s independence movement was sparked by a rather unassuming culprit: a broken flower vase—and culminated with Colombians marching on the Bogota town square to demand liberty.

From urban centers in the valleys of Antioquia to the villages harbored along the Amazon River, Colombians come together today to celebrate freedom and their cultural heritage. It’s common to prepare the national dish of bandeja paisa, which typically consists of minced meat, white rice, red beans, fried egg, plantains, pork, and avocado and is served in such generous portions it has to be brought out on a tray! Other traditions include gathering to play tejo, a game believed to have originated with central Colombian Indigenous cultures, in which opponents throw metal disks at explosive targets.

Today’s Doodle artwork features the critically-endangered Andean Condor, the national animal of Colombia and long-standing cultural symbol in the region dating to around 2500 BCE.

Happy Independence Day, Colombia!

[9A]

April 28, 2021

Rogelio Salmona’s 92nd Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates Colombian architect Rogelio Salmona on his 92nd birthday. Known for his visionary red-brick constructions in the capital city of Bogotá, Salmona is widely considered one of the most important figures in Latin American architecture.

Rogelio Salmona was born on this day in 1929 in Paris, France. But in the face of rising tensions in Europe, his family relocated to Bogotá in 1934. Salmona formed a strong attachment to his new home city until he returned to Paris in 1948 to apprentice under the legendary Swiss architect Le Corbusier.

Salmona eventually settled in Bogotá for the majority of his career, transforming the city with a unique blend of traditional global influences and modern aesthetics. Salmona first came to international attention with his Torres del Parque [Park Towers, 1964-1970], a curved apartment complex of exposed red brick in the center of the city, which is widely considered the architect’s masterpiece. Salmona continued to feature his signature brick fingerprint throughout his career, including in the sprawling Biblioteca Pública Virgilio Barco [Virgilio Barco Public Library, 2001] which remains one of his most famous structures.

With his innovative urban structures, Salmona is widely credited as a driving catalyst of the rebirth of Bogotá in recent decades. In addition to winning many significant architecture prizes throughout his prolific career, Salmona became the first Latin American architect to receive the prestigious Alvar Aalto Medal in 2003.

Happy birthday to Rogelio Salmona, a visionary architect who recognized the infinite potential of the humble red brick!

[9A]

April 28, 2019

Evangelina Elizondo’s 90th Birthday




Today’s Doodle by Mexico City-based guest artist Valeria Alvarez celebrates Evangelina Elizondo, an actress who starred in movies, television shows, and musical theater during an era known as Mexican Cinema’s Golden Age. Born Gloria Evangelina Elizondo López-Llera in Mexico City on this day in 1929, the multi-talented artist was also an accomplished painter, author, and recording artist.

Elizondo’s big break came after being cast as the voice of Cinderella in the Spanish version of the Disney classic. She later made her stage debut dancing in the 1950 stage production of Mariano Azuelo’s Los de Abajo [The Underdogs] and also appeared in Mame and La Viuda Alegre [The Merry Widow] with Plácido Domingo.

Elizondo’s first on-screen appearance came in the 1951 film, Las locuras de Tin-Tan, with Germán “Tin-Tan” Valdés. She would act in over 75 films, specializing in comedies and musicals. “I do not like drama at all,” she said. “I do not want dramas in my life. What I've always wanted is to amuse the public, to whom I owe my career.” In 1995, she appeared with Anthony Quinn and Keanu Reeves in A Walk in the Clouds.

Elizondo also performed in several telenovelas, and her iconic character “Mamá Lena” in Mirada de Mujer was beloved by millions. She continued studying art throughout her life and also earned a degree in theology. The author of two books, she received a Harlequin Prize in 2014 for her contributions to Mexican culture.

Feliz cumpleaños, Evangelina Elizondo!

[9A]

April 28, 2019

Na Hye-sok’s 123rd Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and work of Na Hye-sok, Korea’s first female painter and a strong advocate of women’s empowerment.

Born in Suwon on this day in 1896, Na grew up in a prominent family who encouraged her independent spirit. During a time when most Korean women were expected to be strictly wives and mothers, she aspired to become an artist and author.

At age 17, she traveled to Japan to study Western oil painting at Tokyo Arts College, where she organized the Association of Korean Women Students. Refusing an offer of marriage arranged by her family, she took a job as a teacher.

After graduation, Na took part in a public protest resulting in her arrest. She fell in love with Kim Woo-young, the lawyer who was hired to defend her, and married him a year later. Afterwards, she continued to pursue her artistic career, and her work was even part of a special government-sponsored exhibition.

Na began to write essays critical of traditional Korean marriage, and she also published the first feminist fiction in Korea. She further shocked Korean society by advocating for women’s rights across a variety of topics widely considered taboo at the time. In the year 2000, the Seoul Arts Center organized a retrospective exhibit of her paintings. Today in Korea, Na is recognized for her art and her bold contributions to women’s empowerment.

Happy 123rd birthday, Na Hye-sok!

[9A]

October 1, 2021

Sivaji Ganesan's 93rd Birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Bangalore, India-based guest artist Noopur Rajesh Choksi, celebrates the 93rd birthday of Sivaji Ganesan, one of India’s first method actors and widely considered among the nation’s most influential actors of all time.

On this day in 1928, Sivaji Ganesan was born as Ganesamoorthy in Villupuram, a town in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu, India. At a young age of 7, he left home and joined a theater group, where he started playing child and female roles then lead roles. In December 1945, Ganesan made a name for himself–literally–with his theatrical portrayal of 17th-century Indian King Shivaji. This regal stage name stuck and Ganesan carried the crown as “Sivaji” as he conquered the world of acting.

He made his on-screen debut in the 1952 film “Parasakthi,” the first of his over 300 films spanning a nearly five-decade cinematic career. Renowned for his expressive voice and diverse performances in Tamil-language cinema, Ganesan quickly ascended to international fame. His best-known blockbusters include the trendsetting 1961 film “Pasamalar,” an emotional, family story considered one of Tamil cinema’s crowning achievements, and the 1964 film “Navarthri,” Ganesan’s 100th film in which he portrayed a record-breaking, nine different roles.

In 1960, Ganesan made history as the first Indian performer to win Best Actor at an international film festival for his historical movie “Veerapandiya Kattabomman,” one of his biggest blockbusters with people remembering the dialogues from the movie even today. Other distinguished accolades came near the end of his career. In 1995, France awarded him its highest decoration, Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour. The Indian government in 1997 honoured him with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award which is India's highest award in the field of cinema. Today, his legacy is carried on for international audiences through the performances of the many contemporary Indian acting greats who cite Ganesan as a major inspiration.

Lights, camera, happy birthday, Sivaji Ganesan!

[9A]

November 25, 2019

Ani Idrus’ 101st Birthday






Today’s Doodle celebrates fearless Indonesian journalist and activist Ani Idrus on her 101st birthday. Co-founding one of the longest-running Indonesian daily newspapers in 1947 and still active today, Waspada, Idrus became a leading force in the nation’s journalism, education, and politics.

Born on this day in 1918 in Western Sumatra, Idrus’ life left a wake of tremendous change. Establishing herself as a journalist in the 1930s, she went on to publish Waspada just before Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch. Idrus also served as a foreign correspondent for over a decade before releasing the first edition of a popular women’s magazine. In 1988, in recognition of her accomplishments in journalism, Idrus won the Satya Press Award.

As a member of the Young Indonesia political movement, Idrus’ activism continued to develop. She attended Indonesia’s First Women’s Congress, which led her to chair the North Sumatra Women's Front and became Deputy Secretary-General of the North Sumatra National Front.

Closely tied to Idrus’ dedication to causes that benefited Indonesian women was her push to improve education throughout the country. Her impact on the education system is marked by the opening of eight schools, the establishment of the Ani Idrus Education Foundation [YPAI], as well as her service as Chairperson of the Waspada Soccer School.

Commemorated with a stamp in 2004, Idrus’ life encapsulates her mission to improve the lives of Indonesians throughout the archipelago, especially those of women and children. It may be impossible to know just how many lives were positively affected by her tireless efforts in journalism, education, or politics, but her work stands as a monument to her principles.

[9A]

Nov 28, 2019

Thanksgiving 2019



Today’s Doodle celebrates Thanksgiving with a tribute to “hand turkeys,” an easy-to-make holiday bonding activity. A time for gathering with loved ones and giving thanks for the blessings in your life, Americans of all walks of life observe this holiday on the last Thursday in November.


Happy Thanksgiving 2019!

[9A]

Nov 28, 2019

Michel Berger's 72nd Birthday





Today’s animated video Doodle, made in collaboration with Lyon-based animation studio Souviens Ten-Zan [STZ], celebrates French singer-songwriter Michel Berger on his 72nd birthday. Working with some of the biggest names of French music, Berger became a French pop music staple. The song featured in today’s Doodle, “Celui qui chante,” was composed and performed by Berger and spreads a message of positivity and acceptance that still resonates today.

Berger was trained in classical piano at an early age. A gifted pianist like his mother, Berger’s musical interest went beyond those of the symphonies he practiced daily, taking inspiration from artists like Ray Charles to explore varied sounds and arrangements.

French popular music of the 1960s was dominated by Yé-Yé artists. Inspired by American rock music of the same era, jazz, and French chanson, to name a few, Yé-Yé music became synonymous with youth culture and paved the way for Berger to enter the music industry.

A record label’s open casting call for young musicians produced Berger’s first commercial success as a singer with the release of his second single, “Tu n'y crois pas,” featured on the radio before he graduated high school.

By the mid-1970s, Berger began working with his future wife, singer France Gall. The former Eurovision winner and Yé-Yé artist became one of France’s highest-selling female singers. The pair became household names, producing a number of hit albums together, while Berger continued producing his own popular records in parallel. Berger’s reputation as a songwriter led to a notable collaboration with Elton John. Together, the duo produced “Donner pour Donner,” with Gall and John on vocals.

Berger’s music gained rapid popularity for its heartfelt lyrics, making it a mainstay in the French pop scene. Later in his career, he was inspired to help those in need through his participation in the Song for Ethiopia benefit concert, becoming an advocate for children’s philanthropy causes.


Merci et bon anniversaire, Michel Berger!






France Gall and Michel Berger




We researched extensively about Michel Berger’s life and specifically about the time period he lived in. We took a lot of references from the late 70s and early 80s, from documentaries and archival images of everyday French life back then. It was important to also use the visual language from the videos and tapes that were typical from that time, right before the birth of our modern digital pop culture.

With this tribute, we were really looking to represent the whole range of Michel Berger’s talent, both as a singer and composer. We want to show that his songs bring all kinds of people together, as well as show the more poetic aspects of his musical world.

We wanted to show Michel Berger’s influence on French music.We get a strong sensibility that comes from Michel Berger’s songs, which we tried to capture in the animation. He sings about love with a romantic passion, but also lots of sensitivity and sincerity in his lyrics.

His melodies are straightforward and unpretentious. We want the audience to feel the optimism that comes through in his songs, which are fun and make you want to dance but also still have that melancholic aspect.




Behind-the-scenes of the making of the Doodle


Directors Valentin Stoll and Johan Ravit sharing storyboards with the Doodle team


Director Valentin Stoll working on the Doodle in the STZ studio


From left to right: STZ Producer Camille Principiano, Doodle Art Director Erich Nagler, STZ Director Valentin Stoll, STZ Director Johan Ravit, and Doodle Artist Helene Leroux at the STZ studio in Lyon.

[9A]

September 10, 2021

Tránsito Amaguaña's 112th Birthday







Today’s Doodle honors Ecuadorian Quechua activist Tránsito Amaguaña on her 112th birthday. She was an advocate who fought to secure legal rights for Ecuador’s farm workers, Indigenous communities, and women.

Rosa Elena Tránsito Amaguaña Alba or “Mama Tránsito” was born on this day in 1909 in San Miguel de Pesillo, Ecuador. Her family were huasipungueros—farmers who labored seven days a week on a hacienda with no pay except a small plot of land for growing food. Although Amaguaña’s mother hoped she could attend school long enough to become literate, her education was cut short when she was forced into domestic work on the hacienda at a young age. In 1930, Amaguaña walked barefoot for several days to Quito with her small children in tow over 25 times to join protesters in demanding a salary and a day of rest each week for hacienda workers like her family and neighbors.

This event marked the start of Amaguaña’s tireless lifelong activism. She fulfilled her mother’s wish on trips to Cuba where she learned to read and write; and how to organize land collectives and labor unions. She helped organize Ecuador’s first farm worker unions and in 1931, she participated in the unions’ first strike in Olmedo. Amaguaña continued traveling throughout the region but returned to Quito often, where she developed a close friendship with fellow activist Dolores Cacuango. Alongside other Indigenous leaders, they co-founded the Federación Ecuatoriana de Indios [Ecuadorian Indian Federation] in 1944 which advocated for terminating hacienda ownership and returning the land to the local workers.

After years of struggle, labor laws were eventually passed to protect farm workers. Not wanting Indigenous children to face the same education restrictions she experienced, Amaguaña helped found four schools with classes taught in Spanish and Quechua. A school in Guayaquil, Ecuador that bears her name preserves her multifaceted legacy.

Happy Birthday, Tránsito Amaguaña!