Tribute to Jane Goodall
The Parliament of the World’s Religions mourns the passing of Jane Goodall, one of the most renowned scientists of our time and a conservationist and humanitarian revered throughout the world. She was a peerlessly eloquent and compelling advocate for the protection of Nature and all forms of life – and for the dignity of people everywhere.
Her work with the chimpanzees of the Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, begun in the 1960s, revolutionized the field of primate studies and changed the way we see animals and their minds, emotional lives, and personalities. She fought tirelessly and courageously for the protection of the chimpanzees and the preservation and restoration of their habitat, founding the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977. In 1991 she launched its Roots and Shoots program to teach young people about conservation, which has now become a global youth movement with chapters on over 60 countries.
Jane Goodall was made a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2002 and a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2003 by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2021 she received the Templeton Prize. In her acceptance speech, she said,
“In the rainforest I learned about the interconnection of all species, each with a role to play. I felt a strong spiritual connection with the natural world.”
…
“I am convinced that there are more good than bad people. There are so many tackling seemingly impossible tasks and succeeding. Only when head and heart work in harmony can we attain our true human potential.”
Jane Goodall was a staunch friend of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. She was a lead speaker at our Convenings in Barcelona in 2004, in Salt Lake City in 2015, in our Virtual Convening in 2021 and at the 2023 Convening in Chicago, where by video sharing her reasons for hope, she declared:
“Far more important than the color of our skin, our language, our culture, our religion is the fact we’re all human. We all laugh and cry, with joy or depression and love….for some of us, there’s our belief in the great spiritual power in which, we live and move and have our being, a power that can support and give us the strength we need to confront the massive problems we have brought upon ourselves….The situation is indeed urgent and all of us from all cultures and all religions must collaborate and take action to protect and restore the natural world before it’s too late.”
Click here to view Jane Goodall’s 2023 speech in its entirety.
The Parliament of the World’s Religions expresses our profound gratitude to Jane Goodall for her life of unstinting dedication, wisdom, and love for all life on Earth.
