Happy International Women's Day 2017!

This International Women's Day, we’ve chosen to look to the past to celebrate some of the female pioneers who paved the way to where we are today.

Our slideshow Doodle features a little girl whose grandmother tells her the best bedtime story ever: the tale of her favorite historical heroine. The little girl then visits 13 remarkable women in her imagination, taking us along on a journey that spans centuries and circles the globe.

Although some of the women showcased in today’s Doodle aren't household names, each made a mark in her own way. They pursued a range of professions and passions and hailed from an array of backgrounds and countries. In fact, all of these women have been featured in individual Doodles in the past, but often only in their countries of origin. So today we're taking the opportunity to share their stories with everyone.

After all, that's part of the original spirit of International Women's Day: giving a voice to women who might not otherwise be heard. It all started in 1908, when a group of women gathered in New York City to demand fair pay, better working conditions, and the right to vote. Their commitment to equality sparked similar events in other countries. In 1911, the first official International Women's Day rallies were held in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. The day is now observed in a myriad of countries and a multitude of ways.