MPs celebrate World Chimpanzee Day with tribute to Jane Goodall's enduring legacy
- Hayley O'Keeffe
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
MPs and peers gathered in Parliament to celebrate World Chimpanzee Day and honour the extraordinary life and legacy of pioneering conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, DBE,
Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, while pledging to continue her lifelong mission to protect chimpanzees, conserve biodiversity, and inspire future generations to care for the natural world.
The reception, held in the Jubilee Room at the Palace of Westminster, was hosted by Sir Roger Gale MP and Matt Western MP and brought together parliamentarians, conservationists and supporters of the Jane Goodall Institute UK and Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots UK.
Organised by Wildlife Guardian and The Animal News Agency, the event gave MPs and peers the opportunity to learn about the Jane Goodall Institute's continuing work following the sad passing of Dr Goodall, whose groundbreaking research transformed the world's understanding of chimpanzees and inspired generations of conservationists.
Dr Goodall, one of the world's most celebrated ethologists and conservationists, first travelled to Tanzania's Gombe in 1960. Her revolutionary observations showed that chimpanzees make and use tools, possess rich emotional lives and have complex family relationships, forever changing scientific understanding of our closest living relatives. She went on to become one of the world's most influential voices for wildlife conservation, animal welfare, environmental protection and positive change.
A major focus of the reception was Roots & Shoots, the Jane Goodall Institute's global youth programme, which empowers young people to take practical action to improve the world around them for their community, animals and the environment.
Now established across the UK, the educational programme empowers children and young people to identify issues affecting people, animals and the environment in their local communities, before planning and leading projects that make a positive difference.
From creating wildlife habitats and enhancing biodiversity to supporting local communities and reducing waste, the programme shows that everyone has the power to make a positive difference. By encouraging young people to take action on the issues that matter to them, it helps them recognise the impact they can have in their communities and beyond.
Guests, including Downton Abbey and After Life star Peter Egan, also heard how the Institute intends to build on Dr Goodall's vision by expanding educational programmes, inspiring future generations and continuing its international conservation work.
Rosemary Reed, Trustee and Strategic Director of the Jane Goodall Institute UK, said: "World Chimpanzee Day reminds us that celebrating chimpanzees isn't just about looking back at Dr Jane Goodall's extraordinary legacy - it's about carrying it forward. The hope we celebrated at the House of Commons is hope in action, with every individual playing their part in creating a better future for animals, people, and the planet."
The reception formed part of global World Chimpanzee Day celebrations, held each year on July 14 to mark the date that a then 26-year-old Jane Goodall first arrived at Gombe in Tanzania, beginning the research that would reshape humanity's relationship with chimpanzees and help spark the modern conservation movement.
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