Thank you, Dr Jane Goodall!

Dr Jane Goodall was a trailblazer who inspired millions of people to be better stewards of our beautiful planet. Through her groundbreaking research with chimpanzees, she demonstrated that animals are just like us - they have emotions, feelings and intelligence. She had no academic training when she embarked on her research but with her grit and determination, she accomplished the impossible. “Her groundbreaking discoveries have changed humanity’s understanding of its role in an interconnected world, and her advocacy has pointed to a greater purpose for our species in caring for life on this planet,” said the citation for the Templeton Prize, which honors individuals whose life’s work embodies a fusion of science and spirituality.

Her work moved into more global advocacy after she watched a disturbing film of experiments on laboratory animals at a conference in 1986. She lent her voice for the animals and urged people to adopt cruelty-free and sustainable lifestyles. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute and advocated for wildlife conservation and environmental protection. She also empowered youth to get involved in conservation and humanitarian initiatives through her Roots and Shoots program. 

She taught us not with grand speeches but with gentle hands, quiet courage, and love. She showed us what compassion can truly do. Through her life’s work, Dr. Jane Goodall reminded us that kindness is a language everyone can understand. She was an advocate, a vegan, a writer, a teacher, and above all, a protector of life. She did not just show us the way; she walked it with us.

Her legacy is not only in books and research but in the hearts of people who now see the world differently because of her. Through her example and her belief in the goodness of people and nature, her spirit will live on in every kind act, in every life saved, and in every hand offered in peace.

Thank you, Dr Goodall, for showing us that to love deeply and act gently can change the world.