The Google Doodle for World Teachers Day. Photo: Google
The Google Doodle for World Teachers Day. Photo: Google
The Google Doodle for World Teachers Day. Photo: Google
The Google Doodle for World Teachers Day. Photo: Google

Arts & Culture

Google marks World Teachers' Day 2022 with an animated Doodle

It is visible in the Emirates and many other countries around the world

Katy Gillett
Katy Gillett

October 05, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

As the UAE and much of the rest of the planet celebrates World Teachers' Day on October 5, in recognition of the role teachers play in encouraging innovation, Google is also marking the occasion with a Doodle.

The animation, which shows pieces of stationery and school equipment celebrating as confetti falls around them in a classroom setting, is visible on the search engine in the Emirates and parts of the Middle East and Africa, as well as Canada, the UK, other parts of Europe, Pakistan, the Philippines, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea, to name a few.

The same Doodle has been used across the world this year to mark various Teachers' Days, as dates vary, starting on April 13 in Ecuador, then moving to Mexico, Colombia and South Korea in May. There were five dates in September, mostly for countries in South America and Taiwan.

Established in 1994, World Teachers' Day commemorates the signing of the 1966 Unesco/International Labour Organisation Recommendation for the Status of Teachers, which addressed the status and situation of educators across the world.

The aim of the day is the appreciate, assess and improve teachers, and provide opportunities to consider issues related to education.

More than 100 countries celebrate the day and each year there is a theme, and in 2022 that is “the transformation of education begins with teachers”.

In the UAE, Emirati teachers have received significant attention and appreciation from the community. Over the first 50 years of the UAE’s history, the number of public school teachers rose to 108,020 in 2020, from 5,530 in 1975, an increase of 1,853 per cent, according to Wam.

Google often marks major human achievements, events and historical milestones with its Doodles, often visible in certain territories, although this new animation appears to be available on screens across the world.

Most recently, it rolled out an animated version of Nasa's Dart spacecraft, in which it crashed into an asteroid, setting the whole search page at a tilt. This marked the moment the space agency's Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission successfully made impact with an asteroid.

In the region, the search engine has paid homage to several Arab stars on significant anniversaries, using Mena artists to bring them to life.

In June, for example, the life of doctor Saniya Habboub was celebrated, commemorating her graduation from medical school on June 10, 1931.

Born in 1901 to a Lebanese leather merchant and Turkish mother, Habboub was one of the first female doctors from Lebanon to study medicine abroad, in the US.

Scroll through the gallery below some of Google's regional Doodles

  • A Google Doodle celebrating Egyptian actress Karima Mokhtar's 89th birthday. All images: Google
    A Google Doodle celebrating Egyptian actress Karima Mokhtar's 89th birthday. All images: Google
  • Egyptian writer Ihsan Abdel Quddous
    Egyptian writer Ihsan Abdel Quddous
  • Kuwaiti actor and comedian Abdulhussain Abdulredha's 83rd birthday
    Kuwaiti actor and comedian Abdulhussain Abdulredha's 83rd birthday
  • UAE National Day 2022 Google Doodle.
    UAE National Day 2022 Google Doodle.
  • Ousha Al Suwaidi was a poetess from the United Arab Emirates.
    Ousha Al Suwaidi was a poetess from the United Arab Emirates.
  • Prof. Hamed Abdel Fattah Goher was an Egyptian oceanographer, scientist and TV presenter.
    Prof. Hamed Abdel Fattah Goher was an Egyptian oceanographer, scientist and TV presenter.
  • Tunisia's Tawhida Ben Cheikh was a pioneer in women's medicine.
    Tunisia's Tawhida Ben Cheikh was a pioneer in women's medicine.
  • Google Doodle of Egyptian actor and director Nour El-Sherif honours him on what would have been his 75th birthday.
    Google Doodle of Egyptian actor and director Nour El-Sherif honours him on what would have been his 75th birthday.
  • Google celebrates Syrian-Egyptian composer and actor Farid Al Atrash with a Google Doodle to mark what would have been his 110th birthday.
    Google celebrates Syrian-Egyptian composer and actor Farid Al Atrash with a Google Doodle to mark what would have been his 110th birthday.
  • Children's author Notaila Rashed is honoured with a special Google Doodle to mark her 86th birthday.
    Children's author Notaila Rashed is honoured with a special Google Doodle to mark her 86th birthday.
  • Egyptian actress, producer, writer and filmmaker Bahiga Hafez was born 112 years ago, on August 4.
    Egyptian actress, producer, writer and filmmaker Bahiga Hafez was born 112 years ago, on August 4.
  • The Google Doodle for January 20, 2020, celebrates Mufidah Abdul Rahman, Egypt's first female lawyer.
    The Google Doodle for January 20, 2020, celebrates Mufidah Abdul Rahman, Egypt's first female lawyer.
  • A Google Doodle on June 10, 2019, celebrates Egyptian author Ahmed Khaled Towfik.
    A Google Doodle on June 10, 2019, celebrates Egyptian author Ahmed Khaled Towfik.
  • Google Doodle honours Persian mathematician, poet and astronomer Omar Khayyam on what would have been his 971st birthday.
    Google Doodle honours Persian mathematician, poet and astronomer Omar Khayyam on what would have been his 971st birthday.
  • Mary Mounib was a renowned actress in the Egyptian cinema scene. Her 114th birthday is marked in a Google Doodle on February 11, 2019.
    Mary Mounib was a renowned actress in the Egyptian cinema scene. Her 114th birthday is marked in a Google Doodle on February 11, 2019.
  • Egyptian poet Gamila El Alaily is honoured in a Google Doodle on March 20, 2019.
    Egyptian poet Gamila El Alaily is honoured in a Google Doodle on March 20, 2019.
  • Syrian artist Louay Kayali is the subject of Google's doodle on January 20, 2019.
    Syrian artist Louay Kayali is the subject of Google's doodle on January 20, 2019.
  • Egyptian-French singer and actress Dalida is honoured on her birthday by Google Doodle, on January 17, 2019.
    Egyptian-French singer and actress Dalida is honoured on her birthday by Google Doodle, on January 17, 2019.
  • Egyptian actress Hind Rostom is celebrated in a Google Doodle on her 87th birthday, on November 12, 2018.
    Egyptian actress Hind Rostom is celebrated in a Google Doodle on her 87th birthday, on November 12, 2018.
  • Ibn Sina, one of the greatest thinkers of Islam's golden age, is honoured on August 7, 2018.
    Ibn Sina, one of the greatest thinkers of Islam's golden age, is honoured on August 7, 2018.
  • A Google Doodle honours Saudi musician Talal Maddah on what would have been his 78th birthday, on August 5, 2018.
    A Google Doodle honours Saudi musician Talal Maddah on what would have been his 78th birthday, on August 5, 2018.
  • A Google Doodle gif marks Egyptian actor Omar Sharif's birthday on April 10, 2018.
    A Google Doodle gif marks Egyptian actor Omar Sharif's birthday on April 10, 2018.
  • Egyptian poet Farouk Shousha is honoured by Google on what would have been his 82nd birthday, on January 9, 2018.
    Egyptian poet Farouk Shousha is honoured by Google on what would have been his 82nd birthday, on January 9, 2018.
  • Google celebrates Lebanese singer Sabah's 90th birthday on November 10, 2017.
    Google celebrates Lebanese singer Sabah's 90th birthday on November 10, 2017.
  • Egyptian painter Inji Aflatoun's Google Doodle pays homage to her style of bold brushstrokes.
    Egyptian painter Inji Aflatoun's Google Doodle pays homage to her style of bold brushstrokes.
  • Google celebrates the birthday of Algerian painter Mohammed Khadda, who was born on March 14, 1930.
    Google celebrates the birthday of Algerian painter Mohammed Khadda, who was born on March 14, 1930.
  • Lebanese singer-songwriter Melham Barakat is honoured by Google on his birthday.
    Lebanese singer-songwriter Melham Barakat is honoured by Google on his birthday.
Latest on coronavirus

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Updated: October 05, 2022, 4:18 AM
GoogleUnesco