Jane Goodall, the world-renowned environmentalist and U.N Messenger for Peace visited U of T on May 16 and delivered a public lecture titled Reason for Hope as part of the launch of the Centre for Environment’s Natural City 2006 conference.
U of T president David Naylor and professor Ingrid Leman Stafanovic, director of the Centre for Environment, opened with mention of Goodall’s numerous awards and doctorate honors as well as her remarkable contributions as an U.N. Messenger for Peace since 2002.
Taking the stage before a packed Con Hall, Goodall greeted the audience with an astonishing voice imitation of chimpanzees. When the laughter died down, Goodall charmed her listeners with her childhood dreams of Africa and her life-long study and passion for chimpanzees, which she called “the extraordinary ambassadors of the animal kingdom.”
Goodall’s lecture advocated hope for the future. Her “reasons for hope” included an immense enthusiasm for children in the future, a belief in the extraordinary human mind capable of building airplanes and televisions, and faith that the human spirit can “overcome insurmountable tasks.” All of these, according to Goodall, are reasons for hope and peace on mother Earth. With love, passion, compassion, and dedication, Goodall stated confidently that here on earth, God’s work can truly be our own.
Goodall paid special tribute to her mother, Vanne Goodall, who encouraged the young Jane to study the chimpanzees of the Gombe National Reserve in Tanzania in 1960.
Goodall then spoke of her life before and after her time in Africa as well as her observations and discoveries about chimpanzees that helped millions of people understand the importance of wildlife conservation.
