Google Doodle Honors the History of International Women’s Day with a 3D Paper Mandala Animation

Today marks the celebration of International Women’s Day, a global day that’s been observed for well over a century and honors the achievements of women throughout history. Google Doodle is commemorating this longstanding holiday as it does on an annual basis—but in a way that truly puts emphasis on the history of the cause. 

This year, the Doodle is a multilayered 3D paper mandala animation created by four women creatives: London-based artists Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscrof from Makerie Studio and Zurich-based animators Marion Willam & Daphne Abderhalden from DRASTIK. Together, they created the three-layered mandala that reflects women across generations and the progress made over the last 100 years. 

The mandala’s black-and-white central layer represents women who lived during the labor movements in the late 1800s through the 1930s. The next layer reflects women from the 1950s and 1980s who pushed for gender equality and to create changes to the status quo. Last but certainly not least is the outer layer that represents 1990s to present day women, who continues to “question, reclaim, and redefine ideas about the roles women take on in society,” according to a press release.

The mandala at large is meant to showcase how far women have come thanks to the great achievements and bravery across generations, breaking barriers and changing cultural and gender roles as a result. While there’s no doubt that we have a ways to go to achieve gender equality, it’s important to acknowledge and recognize the progress that so many empowering women have made before us—not only as it’s important to history but it also will keep us pushing forward.

So thanks for your empowering Doodle, Google! Here’s to the great women of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.