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| 31.12.2023-GIF-New Year's Eve-2023 |
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3… 2… 1… Happy New Year! This Doodle brings some sparkle and shine to start off New Year right! As the clock nears closer and closer to midnight, people around the world are planning their new year’s resolutions and wishing for success, love, joy, and everything in between. |
Today’s annual Doodle celebrates Great Union Day, or Ziua Marii Uniri, in Romania! This holiday commemorates the unification of several different ethnic groups under one single banner. On this day in 1918, the National Assembly of Alba Iulia voted unanimously in favor of a greater union between Transylvania, Bessarabia, Bukovina, and the Kingdom of Romania.
As a result, the country was officially recognized by the international community and welcomed to the world stage. Romania’s territorial size nearly doubled, and its population increased by 10 million. The first ever celebration in Alba Iulia marked the end of years of struggle for self-determination, and instilled a sense of identity and unity among its diverse residents.
On Great Union Day, Romanians attend military parades, musical and dance performances, historical plays, and flag-raising ceremonies throughout the country. The blue, yellow, and red stripes of the Romanian national flag — like the one waving in today’s artwork — represent liberty, justice, and fraternity. Great Union Day acts as a symbol of their shared heritage and collective spirit, reminding them of their country's rich history and the importance of unity during times of challenge.
Today’s hand-crafted stained glass Doodle celebrates St. Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s national day. Each year, 30th November marks a day of celebrating Scottish roots. The artwork features thistle flowers which represent resilience, strength, and protection.
St. Andrew’s Day celebrations vary across Scotland. The capital, Edinburgh, hosts storytelling and music performances, and street markets that sell everything from hand-made scarves to homemade sausages. In the seaside town of St. Andrews, bagpipes and drums sing over the crashing waves throughout a week-long festival.
Throughout Scotland, gatherings called Ceilidhs draw hundreds of people dressed in plaid kilts and carry into the night as they dance to both traditional and modern Scottish music. And it’s not a celebration without Scottish foods like cullin skink, a hearty soup dish made with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions.
Happy St. Andrew’s Day, Scotland!
Today’s slideshow Doodle celebrates the Appalachian Trail — click the Doodle to explore the 2,190-mile footpath that spans across 14 U.S. states! The Appalachian trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, and has served sightseeing hikers for nearly 100 years. It traverses through dense forests, across rushing rivers, and over mountain summits along the east coast. On this day in 1968 The National Trails System Act established the Appalachian Trail as one of the country’s first National Scenic Trails.
Benton MacKaye, a forester, conservationist, and lifelong outdoorsman, first proposed the idea in 1921. His original plan, titled An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning, outlined a stretch of several self-sustaining agricultural camps along the way. Many like-minded people started joining his cause, and the community eventually became known as the Appalachian Trail Conference.
In 1937, thanks to combined efforts of many trailblazers, the Appalachian Trail became fully connected from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Ten years later, a hiker named Earl Shaffer reported the first thru-hike from end-to-end and ignited a wave of interest. Over fourteen thousand people have completed the trek since.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Trails System Act in 1968, which declared the Appalachian Trail as one of the first national scenic trails and recognized it as federal land. Finally, in 2014, the last major stretch of land was acquired, turning initial dreams for the trail into reality.
Nowadays, in a collaborative effort to conserve its natural glory, the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and many volunteers maintain and manage the historic footpath. Thousands of pathfinders visit the route each year with the intention of completing the four- to six-month long thru-hike.
Happy trails!
Today’s Doodle celebrates the 118th birthday of Fumiko Enchi, a Japanese feminist and writer who rose to literary fame during the post-World War II era. She wrote several plays and novels about the unfair domestic lifestyles that women were expected to lead. The characters she created were direct reflections of her own experiences, and evolved as her career and life progressed.
Enchi was born on this day in 1905 in Tokyo. From an early age, she was exposed to the art of storytelling — her grandmother introduced her to kabuki theater. At 21 years old, Enchi published her first play titled A Birthplace, which was well received by the public.
Unfortunately, the writer grew ill and lost her home during World War II, causing her to temporarily retreat from the literary world. Enchi eventually found her way back to the pen and focused more on fiction, writing tales that explored the gender discrimination, lack of equality, and wrongful treatment of women caused by Japan’s patriarchal society. In 1953, she won the Women’s Literature Prize for her story Starving Days.
Throughout the rest of her career, Enchi published novels that featured strong, introspective female protagonists. She was particularly fond of works written by women during the Heian era and adopted similar topics: maternity, familial duty, lust, aging, and more. Enchi’s expressive voice gave these themes a modern twist and cemented her status as a leading Japanese writer.
Some of her most celebrated works include The Waiting Years (1957), Masks (1958), and A Tale of False Fortunes (1965). Enchi won several awards including the Bunka Kunsho (or Order of Culture), the highest honor a Japanese citizen can receive, in 1985. She was also elected to the Japan Art Academy, the nation’s premier institution for recognizing accomplished artists.
Happy birthday, Fumiko Enchi!
Today’s annual Doodle celebrates Uzbekistan Independence Day, or Mustaqillik Kuni! On this day in 1991, Uzbekistan declared independence from the USSR and became a sovereign nation.
Following the August Coup in Moscow, President Islam Karimov of the former Uzbek SSR declared Uzbekistan an independent country. The Supreme Soviet of Uzbekistan accepted this resolution, and the following day was recognized as a national holiday.
On Independence Day, citizens gather in each of Uzbekistan’s 12 regions and attend concerts, parades, firework shows, and speeches to honor the country’s progress and prosperity. The biggest celebration occurs at Mustaqillik Maydoni (or Independence Square) in the capital city of Tashkent. And of course, no holiday celebrations would be complete without plov, a popular rice dish topped with mutton, onions, and grated carrots.
Happy Independence Day, Uzbekistan!
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| 01.08.2023-Tuesday-Switzerland National Day 2023-GIF |
Today’s Doodle celebrates Switzerland’s National Day, a day when people from all 26 cantons (or districts) come together to honor the country’s history and culture. On this day in 1291, the three cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden signed the Federal Charter and formed an alliance that promised unity against outsiders.
Exactly 600 years later, the historic pact was celebrated for the first time, in 1899, and has been an annual observance ever since. Festivities often start with a traditional farmers brunch offered by many local farmers on their estates to be continued by political speeches and a gathering on the “Rütli” Meadow where it's said that the confederates took their oath that formed the historic alliance. At night, bonfires on the many mountaintops and fireworks enlighten the sky.
Swiss flags, like the one waving in today’s Doodle, are flown across the country and even sit atop special bread rolls called zopf.
Happy National Day, Switzerland!
Today’s Doodle honors Indigenous Argentine human rights activist Amancay Diana Sacayán. On this day in 2012, Sacayán became the first Argentine trans woman to receive a national identity card affirming her gender. The Doodle artwork, illustrated by Buenos Aires-based guest artist Juan Dellacha, depicts Sacayán as a joyful activist whose persistence, in spite of all the violence she suffered throughout her whole life, left a huge legacy.
A proud descendant of the Diaguita people, Sacayán was born in Tucumán, Argentina, on December 31, 1975. She and her 15 siblings moved to Buenos Aires, where she would spend most of her life. Sacayán enjoyed school until she was expelled as a result of coming out as transgender. She faced police persecution quickly and was arrested multiple times for her clothing choice and trans identity.
Sacayán fought tirelessly for LGBTQ+ rights during her life. She was involved with many activist groups, notably a member of the National Front for the Gender Identity Law and a leader of the International Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Association. She founded the Movimiento Antidiscriminatorio de Liberación (Anti-Discriminatory Liberation Movement), which was dedicated to improving human rights for the queer community, focusing on inclusion within schools, workplaces, and hospitals. Today, because of her activism, trans people can have their name and gender respected when they access health care.
1% of public sector employees in Buenos Aires are in the trans community, thanks to the Trans Labor Quota Law that Sacayán promoted. This law was expanded to the national level in 2020, but tragically, Sacayán was not around to see it. She was killed in a hate crime in 2015, and her murderer is considered the first person in Argentina to be convicted of a hate crime against the trans community.
Her resilience and accomplishments continue to inspire. She persuaded the public sector to include trans people, advocated for hospitals to use people's correct names, and set an example by being the first legally recognized trans person in her country. Thank you for dedicating your life to vastly improve trans rights, Amancay Diana Sacayán.
Guest Artist Q&A with Juan Dellacha
Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Buenos Aires-based guest artist Juan Dellacha. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:
Q. Why was this topic meaningful to you personally?
A: As part of the LGBT+ community, I felt very touched with the opportunity to illustrate Diana, who was such an important person to us and whose activism I admire. It is so important to see the faces of the people who have fought so long and so hard to have the rights we have today. I think of her as a heroine, she was an example to follow.
Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project?
A: When I received the proposal to work on a Doodle I was already excited, but when I was told that it was to celebrate Diana Sacayán, it was even more thrilling! I felt a lot of responsibility, but most of all, I felt very honored to illustrate a portrait that celebrated her.
The first ideas I had were about
representing her joy and her legacy. The first image that comes to my
mind when I think of her is her peaceful glance and her beautiful smile.
I think that the joy she transmitted and her tireless activism, despite
all the violence she went through, was revolutionary.
Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?
A: I googled pictures to capture her smile and joy and I also watched interviews. When you see her speaking, you can see she conveyed a lot of calm and wisdom, she had a quiet but firm way of speaking. Those subtleties can say a lot about a person and were a source of inspiration.
I also wanted to represent her native roots and environmental consciousness, so I included flowers and plants that are native from Argentina, for which I had to do some research, too. And what was a huge inspiration in particular was a poem that she wrote. It is called Cuando yo me vaya (When I leave). It talks about her after death and funeral, and it has all the things I wanted to communicate: her identity, her class consciousness, her native roots, her ideals, her humor and her joy.
Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?
A: Diana believed that the fight for LGBT+ rights also needed to have social, environmental, native and class consciousness too. It couldn’t be one without the other. I deeply agree with that and I think it’s very important to have that in mind, especially in the times we are living in. That’s why I was very interested in showing her intersectional activism, mixing all these different elements in one image that celebrated her, with Diana’s joyful smile in the middle.
Today’s Doodle celebrates English actor Alan Rickman. With a deep, magnetic voice and endless charm, he’s known for his magical performances in films like Harry Potter and Die Hard. On this day in 1987, Rickman performed in 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses', a Broadway play that was instrumental in launching his career.
Alan Rickman was born on February 21, 1946 in West London, England. A natural painter, Rickman became interested in different art forms after being encouraged by his teachers and family. He was especially taken with acting. After starring in school plays, he earned a scholarship to continue pursuing this interest at Latymer Upper School in London.
After secondary school, Rickman studied graphic design at Chelsea College of Art and Design and the Royal College of Art. After graduating, he started a design company with close college friends while participating in the amateur Group Court Drama Club. At age 26, Rickman left his company and decided to seriously pursue acting, earning a spot at RADA, one of the most prestigious acting schools in the world.
A few years later, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he appeared in The Tempest and Love’s Labour’s Lost. He struck gold in 1985 when he starred as anti-hero Le Vicomte de Valmont in the play Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons). After earning a Tony nomination for his performance, he began receiving offers to act in films.
In 1988, Rickman starred as criminal mastermind Hans Gruber in the film Die Hard. The character is now considered one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history. The film’s success led to Rickman playing similar antagonist roles in films like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. His career trajectory continued throughout the 1990s with roles in Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996), the latter of which he received an Emmy and Golden Globe Award for.
In 2001, Rickman starred in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the scene-stealing Severus Snape. His intimidating, scary, and captivating performance saw him star in the following seven Harry Potter films, becoming an international sensation.
Over the course of his career, Rickman received numerous acting nominations and awards and even directed three plays and two films. He’s remembered for his iconic roles on-screen, his philanthropy, and his kind and sensitive nature off-screen.
Happy Birthday, Alan Rickman!
Each year on March 1st, a national St. David’s Day Parade is held in the city of Cardiff, where schoolchildren and bands march in traditional Welsh costumes. They wear bright red gowns and dark tall hats and carry the Welsh flag.
The flag of Wales features a red dragon atop a green and white background. According to the legend of Dinas Emrys, a Celtic king’s castle repeatedly collapsed due to two dragons fighting in a lair below its foundation. Eventually, a red dragon prevailed and became a symbol of Welsh pride. Today, the flag decorates buildings and homes throughout the country.
Today’s colourful Doodle was inspired by items found in Wales. The artwork was hand-crafted with cut acrylic glass inspired by traditional stained glass windows and prominently features Wales' National flower — the daffodil!
Happy St. David’s Day Wales!
Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Taiwan-based guest artist Dyin Li, celebrates Taiwanese filmmaker and activist Mickey Chen, who focused on telling stories from people that belonged to disenfranchised communities. On this day in 1999, her film Boys for Beauty became the first LGBTQ-themed documentary to be screened at a movie theater in Taiwan.
Chen, fascinated by cameras from a young age, started creating movies in college. At 30, she made her directorial debut with Not Simply a Wedding Banquet (1997), a documentary about the first gay couple to have a public wedding in Taipei. It explored the struggles that members of the LGBTQ+ community faced in Taiwan.
In 1999, Chen released Boys for Beauty, an eye-opening exposé that followed the lives of three gay teenagers from Taipei. The film took a bold stance against gender norms and showcased the societal pressures each subjects’ relatives endured. It was a box office success and a pivotal achievement for Taiwanese cinema.
Boys for Beauty won countless awards and film festival placements, most notably the Audience Award at the 2000 Taiwan International Documentary Festival. Chen gave an inspiring acceptance speech that praised the LGBTQ+ movement and invited several directors to join her on stage in an act of solidarity.
Chen wrote and directed many more documentaries such as Memorandum on Happiness (2003), Scars on Memory (2005), and Fragile in Love (2007). She also published Taipei Father, New York Mother in 2011, a book about family tragedies that occurred during her youth. Throughout her career, Chen documented significant moments of LGBTQ+ history in Taiwan and opened the eyes of the public to them and Taiwan’s progressive LGBTQ+ societal views are a result of trailblazers like her.
Today’s Doodle celebrates Sương Nguyệt Anh, the first female newspaper editor of the first women’s newspaper in Vietnam. On this day in 1918, the first publication of Nu Gioi Chung (Women's Bell) was published — the newspaper where Nguyệt Anh was editor in chief. Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Hanoi-based guest artist, Camelia Phạm.
Nguyệt Anh was born on March 8, 1864 in An Binh Dong village of the Ben Tre province. Her father, Nguyen Dinh Chieu, was a poet and teacher who taught her how to read and write in both Chinese and Chữ Nôm, a form of Vietnamese language that uses Chinese characters. Nguyệt Anh started writing her own poetry. In honor of one of her most well known poems centered around apricot blossoms, the Doodle artwork incorporates apricot blossoms and an apricot color palette.
The next few decades were a tragic time for Nguyệt Anh. Her father died when she was 24, and she and her brother took over his school to teach the locals. She then moved to Rach Mieu in My Tho City, married, and gave birth to a daughter. Two years later, her husband passed.
She became the first female editor in chief in Vietnam when she started writing for the Nu Gioi Chung newspaper in Saigon under the pen name Sương Nguyệt Anh, meaning “Widowed Nguyệt Anh.” Many of the newspaper’s issues spoke about women’s roles in Vietnamese culture and society.
Sương Nguyệt Anh is remembered for her bright mind and personality, as well as her resilience through adversity. She was a pioneer for women writers and editors in Vietnam and paved the way for generations to come. She had connections with people from all walks of life and treated everyone with respect. There are several streets named after Nguyệt Anh in cities like Ho Chi Minh, Da Lat and Vung Tau.
India gained its freedom from the British Empire in 1947 and began drafting its constitution soon after. The India Constituent Assembly took two years to discuss, modify, and approve the governing document, and when adopted, India became the country with the longest constitution. The adoption of this document paved the way for democracy and empowered Indian citizens to elect their own representatives.
To celebrate the national holiday, there are various parades around the country, with the largest one taking place at Rajpath, a ceremonial boulevard in New Delhi. After a ceremonial wreath laying to honor fallen soldiers, regiments of India’s armed forces and tableaus representing cultural and historical heritage march through the street. To conclude the festivities, the Beating Retreat ceremony takes place on the evening of January 29th. The saffron, white, and green Indian flag is flown as the Indian National Anthem plays.
Today’s Doodle artwork is crafted from intricately hand-cut paper. Many elements of the Republic Day parade are represented in the artwork including the Rashtrapati Bhavan (where the president resides), the India Gate, the CRFP marching contingent, and motorcycle riders.
Happy Republic Day, India!
Check out the behind-the-scenes process for today’s Doodle artwork
Guest Artist Q&A with Parth Kothekar
Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Ahmedabad, Gujarat-based guest artist Parth Kothekar. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:
Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about working on this Doodle?
A: I had goosebumps! I reread the email multiple times as I couldn’t believe it and with joy I informed my mother and sister about it. I’d never thought that I would get such an opportunity!
Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?
A: My inspiration was to create a portrait of India. The exhibition that takes place during the Republic Day parade is vast and humbling! I wished to weave various strands and elements of it together.
Q. Why was this topic meaningful to you personally?
A: During my school days, every year I would be mesmerized by the Republic Day parade. Receiving this opportunity enlivened that fascination and I thoroughly enjoyed diving into it as I went into details of every facet displayed on the papercut. I learned a lot through this process.
Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?
A: This papercut took me 4 days to complete — 6 hours a day. I wanted to demonstrate the complexity of India, with all of its interconnected facets! I'm hoping that the complexity of this artwork allows the viewer to get a glimpse of that.
However you choose to ring in the new year, here’s to good fortune in 2023!
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