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In 2016, Dr. Anicia Peters discovered a problem. Dr. Peters, a researcher with the University of Namibia and chairperson of the Presidential Task Force on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, noticed that machine learning (ML) startups were not able to grow or shift quickly enough. She believed that early career, self-taught techmakers in the field lacked the necessary breadth and design fundamentals to successfully launch their businesses.

Dr. Peters saw a need to teach these fundamentals in a way that would be shareable across the region. The University of Namibia needed to develop a course that would address the need for African AI expertise and, therefore, the needs of these startups. However, that would require funding.

In 2020, Dr. Peters learned of Google’s new pilot funding program, the Award for Inclusion Research Program (AIR), managed by the University Relations team within Google Research. They had an open call for applications. Dr. Peters believed securing funding and mentorship from Google’s AIR pilot program would help maximize the impact of the AI startups, break down barriers and bridge connections.

“You have to start small, so it’s hard to convince funders who are looking for big numbers,” Peters says. “You know, how many people are you going to be impacting? Namibia has few people compared to other countries.” However, Google’s AIR program saw the potential for immediate and long-term impact and selected Dr. Peters for the award.

The funding enabled her to hire a staff member to manage the day-to-day operations of the program. This allowed her team to focus their work on social justice, specifically on inclusion, and ethics, increasing the numbers of African developers and ensuring anyone in Africa could access the resources needed to train as a developer. This funding helped secure these resources and meant they could invite experts to virtually teach, share knowledge and collaborate. “That’s part of what Google does through the University Relations program,” Peters adds. “They enable African university research and tech development.”

Dr. Peters had big plans to expand this project to other countries across Africa. Thanks to the relationships established through the AIR grant, she secured an additional Google research grant and recruited additional staff members to help with expansion. This expansion allowed the University of Namibia, which has a strong focus on agriculture, to develop AI technologies in partnership with their agricultural department.

“At one stage I was saying – Google if you want to come and help us, in Africa, then you have to join hands with those of us on the continent,” Peters says. “And I think that for me, this is one of the main messages: that now we are really walking the path together. That, for me, is very important. It’s the beginning of great things to come.”

Google is currently accepting applications for the Award for Inclusion Research Program. Applications close July 13, 2022 at 11:59pm coordinated universal time (UTC-12).

One Eid, about a decade ago, my parents shared an invaluable lesson with me: “Whatever you share with others, if given in good faith, will never be redacted from your possessions.” Carrying on an Abrahamic tradition, my parents taught me that Eid Al-Adha — a Muslim holiday that falls on July 10 this year — is just as much an annual celebration as it is an annual reminder of personal sacrifice and communal responsibility.

This year, I’m most excited about giving thanks through prayer alongside 1.9 billion fellow Muslims around the world. I plan to use that time to reflect and renew my intention to enrich the lives of others through sacrifice — of money, time, and resources. And there’s no reason why non-Muslims can’t join in these celebrations of reflection and giving.

That’s why I was happy to learn about eid.day — a comprehensive and friendly resource by Yaqeen Institute, a nonprofit organization that produces Islamic research in creative ways. When the .day top-level domain first launched, the Google Registry team worked with Yaqeen Institute to help them register eid.day and ramadan.day. These resources provide a look into key Islamic holidays, their significance, how they’re traditionally observed, and the differences between them (like the differences between Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha).

So this Eid, I hope you’ll take a moment to visit eid.day to learn about the array of traditions, stories, and celebrations that beautifully intertwine the Muslim community. Even small gestures like an “Eid Mubarak” email, can go a long way in connecting with a Muslim colleague or friend. By bringing awareness to these traditions, I hope we can inch closer to welcoming, celebrating, and uplifting the Muslim narrative globally.

From me and our Google team, Eid Mubarak!

July 9th is a special day for 21st century pop icons BTS’ fans. It’s the birthday of the ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C. of Youth) — the ever-growing fan group dedicated to the band. To help celebrate the occasion, Google Arts & Culture is launching a unique collaboration with BTS: BTS x Street Galleries.

This collaboration will take fans on a Street View tour of the cities and buildings that hold special memories for BTS, from the United Nations in New York City to the Chunggu Building in Seoul, where BTS’ stories began. In each of these locations, fans will be able to create their own Street Gallery, with artworks curated by the band, based on values that are close to their heart, alongside exclusive photographs and creations by RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, V, Jimin, Jung Kook.

Bridging art and pop culture, BTS x Street Galleries will bring a great variety of artworks, from 18th-century Korean “moon jars” toCaravaggio paintings, to a wider audience. It’s also an opportunity for fans to personalize their relationship with the band, their favorite art, and the places that have meant so much in the BTS story.

Whether you find yourself placing j-hope’s favorite painting on the United Nations building, or maneuvering one of SUGA’s own drawings on the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, you’ll be taking part in a wider conversation about art, public space and community. Yet, in this case, it’s an experience made possible by the collaboration of cultural institutions from around the world with Google Street View technology.

Google and YouTube have taken the ARMY Day celebrations one step further with even more fun. Just search for BTS and click on the purple balloon to hear a few special messages from your favorite band members. What’s more, BTS unveiled a teaser video announcing the July 13th release date of the #MyBTStory “ARMY Tribute Video,” marking the culmination of the month-long Shorts challenge that had ARMY sharing some of their favorite BTS memories from the past nine years.

Ready to explore BTS x Street Galleries and learn about the band’s favorite artworks? Head over to g.co/BTSstreetgalleries right away.BTS x Street Galleries.