2025: A Year of Milestones, Memories, and What’s Next! 🚀

Connections & celebrations
,
1

Hello Local Guides

As we wrap up 2025, I wanted to take a moment to spotlight one of the heartwarming and impactful celebrations we had on Connect! :glowing_star:

This year truly felt special for our community. :handshake: It all began when we kicked off the celebration of 10 incredible years of Local Guides, reflecting on how far we have come and the countless stories we have shared together. :ten::sparkles:

Soon after, we invited Local Guides from every corner of the world to take pride in their hometowns and creativity through the Show Off Your City challenge. :cityscape::artist_palette: The response was inspiring, filled with vibrant cultures, streets, food, and everyday moments that make each city unique. :steaming_bowl::camera_with_flash:

Along the way, we also came together to celebrate Connect’s 9th Birthday, a reminder that this platform is not just about maps, but about people and connections. :birthday_cake::balloon:

From unforgettable memories of Connect Live New York :statue_of_liberty:, Connect Live Tokyo :tokyo_tower:, and Connect Live Bengaluru :curry_rice:, to everyday contributions that quietly make a big difference, this community has shown what it truly means to belong. :heart:

Wait, there’s more! We’re also one-upping the Google team following their recent announcement of Connect Live 2026—we’re keeping the momentum going even stronger! :fire:

We just wrapped up Community Spotlight 2025! :military_medal: It’s been such a joy highlighting the amazing passion and heart you all put into being Local Guides. A huge thank you to everyone who shared their story and made this series so vibrant! :rainbow::sparkles:

To bring this journey together, I’ve created a song :musical_notes: for the community and paired it with a video that beautifully captures the spirit of the Show Off Your City challenge. It’s a celebration of places, people, and the stories that connect us all. :world_map::clapper_board:

:movie_camera: Watch here:

Note: This is an unofficial video created by me as a volunteer Local Guide.

Thank you to every Local Guide who participated, shared, and celebrated along the way. :raising_hands: Here’s to the memories we made in 2025 and the many more stories waiting to be mapped together! :round_pushpin::clinking_glasses:

What was your favorite Local Guides memory or milestone from 2025, and what are you most excited to see at Connect Live 2026? Share your stories and “Show Off” your excitement in the comments below! :backhand_index_pointing_down::sparkles:

158 Likes
My 2025 Recap and Memories
Join the Global Wave: Celebrate 11 Years of Local Guides & 10 Years of Connect!
2025: A Year of Reconnection and Impact 🌟
2

Hope all our local guides have had a great time in 2025.

9 Likes
3

@NareshDarji That’s great! It turned out really great. Congratulations on the creativity, and congratulations to all the Local Guides who made 2025 such an amazing year. I hope to see even more celebrations in 2026.

5 Likes
4

Hello @NareshDarji , thanks for sharing memories with us :grinning_face:.

My favorite Local Guides memory of 2025 was building strong community connections through local meet-ups and scavenger hunts.
Seeing enthusiastic and supportive Guides come together, collaborate, and help each other made the experience truly special.
Local Guides is about people, not just places.

I’m most excited for Connect Live 2026 to meet Guides from around the world and exchange ideas.
Learning directly from Google teams and exploring new ways to improve Maps excites me.
I look forward to growing, contributing, and building stronger communities together. :globe_showing_europe_africa::sparkles:

6 Likes
5

Wow! nice post @NareshDarji sir. Really, 2025 was full of activities like learning new things and the features of the Google Maps, meeting new people in meetups, taking utmost guidances and support from connect moderators and senior local guides and participating in the community Spotlight series and LG scavengers meet. Hope, 2026 will bring new positive vibes, create new impact in which we can learn something new about the Maps and more new stuff about the local guides program and it’s advantages in order to make Google Maps a better place for everyone in the world. Wish you a very Merry Christmas in advance and a very happy and a prosperous New Year :folded_hands::christmas_tree:

3 Likes
6

For me this year has been a mixed experience one ! But I have definitely made some amazing journeys, hosted and joined few of the fun knowledgeable meetups and met many new Local guides too ! Thank you for sharing some of your amazing memories with us @NareshDarji bhai ! Looking forward to creating more memorable events and meetups in the upcoming year !

10 Likes
7

The music video is exceptional, @NareshDarji sir. Your creativity is a testament to your outstanding contributions as a local guide.

3 Likes
8

Thank you so much for this beautiful wrap-up, @NareshDarji :folded_hands:

A special mention for the song and video you created — absolutely amazing! :musical_notes::movie_camera: It beautifully showcased the Show Off Your City challenge and brought back so many memories. सच में दिल छू लेने वाला काम :clap::sparkles:

For me, Connect Live Bengaluru was truly special and unforgettable. The celebration, energy, and togetherness we experienced there perfectly reflected the spirit of Local Guides :yellow_heart:

Looking ahead to 2026, I’m excited to begin the year with a Kochi Mega Meet-up, bringing the community together once again to celebrate places, people, and shared stories :globe_showing_europe_africa::handshake:

Grateful for the memories of 2025 and looking forward Connect Live 2026! :rocket::sparkles:

6 Likes
9

Congratulations on your creativity, and congratulations to all the Local Guides who contributed to making 2025 an extraordinary year. I look forward to witnessing even more celebrations in 2026. @NareshDarji

4 Likes
10

Wow!! Most exciting way to end the year 2025!!! @NareshDarji , the video is awesome, capturing almost all the major events in 2025!! Lovin’ it!
:heart_eyes: :+1: :heart_suit:

Now I’m excited for 2026!! We will make this the best year yet!!!

Cheers!

8 Likes
11

नमस्कार
@NareshDarji
भाई आपने बढ़िया तरीकेसे सभी को शामिल कर के हमारे बेहतरीन यादे यहा शेअर किये है।
धन्यवाद :folded_hands:

6 Likes
12

@NareshDarji

Incredible!! The most thrilling way to wrap up 2025!!!

Video is fantastic.

4 Likes
13

Waoww, the song is so amazing, it captures the vibes of our community :partying_face::partying_face: You took this to another level @NareshDarji .

I would rate it 6 out of 5 stars :grin::wink:

5 Likes
14

Great video and song! Love it. @NareshDarji sir
For me, 2025 was full of learnings, connections, experiences and memories of connect live 2025. :heart_eyes:
Excited for meetups, challenges, connect live 2026 and lot more in new year

5 Likes
15

Beautiful post. Im inspired., and would love to create something simmilar for our country as well !

1 Like
16

Crazy song @NareshDarji Bhai, love how you’ve included everyone and every memory!:dizzy::star_struck:

2 Likes
17

Lots of beautiful memories and connection to wonderful community.

Thank you everyone.

2 Likes
18

Hope all our local guides have had a great time in 2025. @NareshDarji

3 Likes
19

Wow @NareshDarji - such a heartfelt and uplifting recap :musical_notes::globe_showing_europe_africa::sparkling_heart:!

Loved revisiting all the 2025 memories, and it’s incredible thinking about 10 years of Local Guides + 20 years of Google Maps helping people navigate and discover everywhere :glowing_star::round_pushpin::camera:.

And LOL :rofl:, that 1:37 dancing moment in the video is priceless - that’s me shaking it :rofl: :man_dancing: :smiling_face_with_sunglasses: !

Thank you for this creative gift to the community! :sparkles: :folded_hands:

4 Likes
20

@NareshDarji
Wow :star_struck: That was a great compilation :bouquet:. The song and the lyrics are truly amazing. Loved it wholeheartedly :heart: Thank you for sharing.

3 Likes