Today Google Celebrates Birthday of the famous writer Notaila Rashed.
On Notaila Rashed’s 86th Birthday Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Jordanian-American guest artist Sara Alfageeh, commemorates the 86th birthday of pioneering Egyptian translator and children’s author Notaila Rashed. Known affectionately as “Mama Loubna,” Rashed devoted her life to the creation and promotion of children’s literature. She helmed the influential Arabic children’s magazine “Samir” for decades and authored numerous beloved literary works for children and young adults alike. Through her books and short stories, she aspired to highlight ancient Egyptian literary traditions while showcasing the rich cultural heritage of contemporary life in her home country.
Notaila Ibrahim Rashed was born on this day in 1934 in Cairo, Egypt. She went on to study at Cairo University, where she wrote her first children’s stories. By 1953, her work had jumped off the pages and onto the airwaves through radio broadcasts. Just a few years later, Rashed helped found the groundbreaking educational magazine “Samir,” and she later oversaw the publication as its editor-in-chief.
Throughout her esteemed career, Rashed wrote and translated countless children’s stories, and collaborated with a diverse list of Arabic youth magazines, television shows, and radio programs. Among her most famous works is the 1979 two-part book “The Diary of Yasser Family,” which inspired the first children’s film created by the Egyptian National Council of Culture.
Rashed received a variety of awards in honor of her contributions to Egyptian literature and society, including the Medal of the Council of the Ministry of Culture in 2002.
Thank you, Notaila Rashed, for fostering a love of literature across generations.