It can be hard to dream big or put into words grand aspirations when most of us are simply trying to make it through the day.
But that’s what this year’s Google doodle for International Women’s Day is all about.
For International Women’s Day in 2016, the doodle team visited 13 countries and asked more than 300 women and girls to share their dreams by completing the sentence, “One day I will…”
The result is an animated video showing a world of possibilities: Daughters, mothers and grandmothers aspiring to own a restaurant, play professional baseball, see the rings of Saturn, be a mommy. Cameos from primatologist Jane Goodall, Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and activist Muzoon Almellehan show there’s still room to dream even for those who already have a long list of accomplishments.
The video reflects the goals of International Women’s Day, which is more than a celebration of past and present achievements of women. It’s a call to action, backed by the United Nations, to advance gender equality from your small corner of the world, by attending a rally, volunteering or daring to dream.
The doodle is a change in focus from past illustrations and animations on the Google homepage honoring notable women in science, civil rights, journalism and more.
“We wanted to celebrate the next generation of doodle-worthy women and give a nod to women who were doing amazing things today,” doodle producer Liat Ben-Rafael said.
As the women in the video speak in their native tongue, animations appear around them, bringing their dreams to life. The doodle team chose not to use subtitles, relying on the illustrations to act as a universal language, Ben-Rafael said.
“We wanted everyone to see the doodle in the same way,” she said.
For many, “One day I will…” inspired global aspirations to live in a world without poverty where everyone has equal access to opportunities, doodle illustrator Lydia Nichols said. For others, the phrase inspired women to ponder activities for themselves, like go skydiving, travel the world (among the most common responses) or retire on an island.
“It opened the door for women and girls to think about what they would actually like to do one day beyond career goals … the things they never had time for,” Nichols said.
The doodle team hopes the video inspires others to complete the sentence “One day I will…” Feel free to share your thoughts on social media using the hashtag #onedayiwill.
