Mission & History
Mission
Founded by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, the Jane Goodall Institute is a global nonprofit that empowers people to make a difference for all living things. Our work builds on Dr. Goodall’s scientific work and her humanitarian vision. Specifically, we seek to:
- Create a worldwide network of young people who have learned to care deeply for their human community, for all animals and for the environment, and who will take responsible action to care for them.
- Improve global understanding and treatment of great apes through research, public education and advocacy.
- Contribute to the preservation of great apes and their habitats by combining conservation with education and promotion of sustainable livelihoods in local communities.
Our Core Values
There are several core values that inform everything we do:
- We strive to respect, nourish and protect all living things; people, animals and the environment are all interconnected
- We believe that knowledge leads to understanding, and that understanding will encourage us to take action
- We believe that every individual has the ability to make a positive difference
- We believe that flexibility and open-mindedness are essential to enable us to respond to a changing world
- We require integrity and compassion in all that we do and say
History
Although Jane Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, its birth can be traced to the moment Jane stepped out of a game warden’s boat onto a pebbly beach at what was then the Gombe Stream Game Reserve in Tanzania.
Jane’s life story and mission have special appeal for young people. They respond not only to her passion for and curiosity about animals, but to her courage and steadfast hope for a better world. Reaching out to young people is a high priority for Jane, and conservation education is a critical part of JGI’s work. We help create the leaders of tomorrow through our global youth program, Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots. Roots & Shoots nurtures values of civic responsibility, environmental stewardship, and peace.
The Jane Goodall Institute (Hong Kong) was established in 1999 and has focused it's efforts on establishing the Roots & Shoots program for Hong Kong's youth.
