Google doodles on the late Egyptian activist, writer Latifa Al-Zayyat

Ahram Online , Saturday 8 Aug 2015

Google celebrates late Egyptian scholar and author of The Open Door with a doodle

Latifa Al-Zayyat

"Today we pay tribute to novelist, activist, and scholar Latifa Al-Zayyat (8 August 1923-10 September 1996). Her best-known novel, The Open Door, chronicles political unrest in mid-century Cairo through the eyes of its young protagonist, Layla. Layla is a semi-autobiographical character: Al-Zayyat, like Layla, was inspired to become an activist at a very young age," Google commented in its description of a new doodle celebrating the 92nd anniversary of the late-Al-Zayyat's birth.

The doodle's reach covers North Africa and a number of Middle East countries.

Google has often devoted its doodle to anniversaries, shedding light regularly on famous Middle Easrern figures and holidays.

In June, Google celebrated Persian mathematician and astronomer Abu Al-Wafa' Al-Buzjani.

On several occasions, doodles have included an Egyptian theme, such as two released in July 2014: one dedicated to the late Egyptian actor and filmmaker Farid Shawqki and another celebrating the late prominent Egyptian author Sohair El-Qalamawy on the 103rd anniversary of her birth.

Google also published a doodle about Egypt's last parliamentary elections in 2012.

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