When we learned on the morning of October 1, 2025 that Dr. Jane Goodall had passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 91, the news was felt around the world. For each of us in the Jane Goodall Institute’s global community, the loss is immense — but Jane gave us clear instructions that the best way to honor her life and uphold her legacy is to build the compassionate world that she envisioned.
While the movement she started will and must continue, guided by the inspiration and direction she left us with, it has been important for us to gather and pause in remembrance of the remarkable person who started it all. Across the globe, these moments of remembrance take different forms. Jane believed in the strength that comes from taking action first within your community, and these local celebrations are a testament to that belief. Listed here are some of the ways that we at the Jane Goodall Institute have chosen to celebrate our beloved founder.
🇸🇬 Singapore — October 4-5, 2025
In Singapore, the British Council provided space in the lobby of its Napier Road Centre to set up a “Remember Dr. Jane” corner, where her friends and fans had a chance to sign condolence books and share their memories of Jane.
A steady stream of people came throughout the two days, including Minister for Education Desmond Lee, who had met Jane in person and virtually several times, and British High Commissioner to Singapore Nikesh Mehta, who planted a tree with Jane last year at the Roots & Shoots Youth Summit. Many who came thanked the staff at the 🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Singapore for giving them the opportunity to say goodbye to Jane.
🇧🇪 Belgium — October 4, 2025
The 🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Belgium team honored Jane on World Animal Day with a “pre-official opening” of the new “Chimp Island” at Pakawi Park. JGI Staff received a warm welcome from Pakawi Park CEO Tommy Pasteels and his team, who have made a considerable investment in giving the park’s four rescued chimpanzees a safe and enriching habitat.
Heavy storm and rain showers made an appearance at the event, and some present remarked that this showed how “nature was mourning for [Jane].” Despite the weather, it was a heartwarming gathering of so many who have been inspired by Jane’s life, learning from each other and exchanging ideas for future events to commemorate their dear Jane.
🇭🇺 Hungary — October 5, 2025
Our friends at the 🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Hungary held a beautiful memorial service around an oak tree planted in Városmajor, Budapest, and dedicated to Jane. Located between the Heart of Jesus Parish and the Városmajor Outdoor Stage, its placement holds both spiritual and cultural significance.
From there, the group participated in one of Jane’s favorite activities, enjoying nature, as they walked along the Jane Goodall Nature trail. Some participants brought their dogs — Jane’s favorite animal — and as they walked, they shared stories and memories of Jane’s life.
🇯🇵 Japan — October 7, 2025
On October 7th, Yokohama International School held a memorial service with the 🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Japan centered on writing personal messages to Jane. The ceremony included a moment of silence and a short video of Jane in action, inviting participants to reflect on the work that she has left for us to continue.
Many students from elementary to high school registered as new Roots & Shoots members, and as one of their first projects, they are now collecting ideas for a tree that they will be planting on campus in Dr. Jane’s honor.
🇮🇳 India — Early October
To honor Jane’s remarkable legacy, schools across India — including participants in Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program run by 🔗 Jane Goodall Institute India — organized heartfelt memorials celebrating her work and ideals.
Students participated in documentary screenings highlighting Jane’s journey, created art displays and posters with inspiring quotes, and arranged green tributes symbolizing life and nature, all while embracing her belief that “every individual matters; every individual has a role to play.” These memorials served as a reminder that even small steps, when taken together, can make a lasting impact on the planet and all its inhabitants.
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates — October 10, 2025
As part of her tireless work to spread hope around the world, Jane was planning to give a keynote address at this year’s International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). In her absence, IUCN and JGI co-hosted a stirring tribute celebrating her extraordinary life and legacy.
Several speakers from the JGI network — including JGI Vice President of Africa Programs Alice Macharia, JGI Vice President of Conservation Science Dr. Lilian Pintea, and Executive Director of 🔗 Roots & Shoots UAE Tara Golshan — contributed personal stories about Jane and asserted their commitment to continuing Jane’s mission forward.
“There is an African proverb, ‘We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.’ Jane worked with urgency and embodied this to ensure that future generations would have access to nature.” – Alice Macharia, Vice President of Africa Programs, JGI USA
“Jane’s holistic vision wove together not only deep observations of animals and nature, but also a compassionate heart. She transcended and touched us all, deeply, in the most powerful and transformative ways.” – Dr. Lilian Pintea, Vice President of Conservation Science, JGI USA
“Our roots are our values: compassion, respect, hope and understanding. And our shoots are our actions: projects, ideas and communities that continue to grow. Jane personified goodness, gentleness, and hope in a time when the world desperately needs all three. We will make sure her global programmes continue to flourish.” -Tara Golshan, Executive Director, JGI UAE
Other global leaders also shared their reflections on Jane’s life and legacy, including IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak, IUCN Director General Grethel Aguilar, and Chair of IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group Russell Mittermeier.
🇹🇼 Taiwan — October 15, 2025
🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Taiwan staff and their partners in impact gathered at the International Conference Hall of Chang Jung Christian University for a powerful tribute: “Continuing the Spirit of Action; In Loving Memory of Dr. Jane Goodall.” The event included touching footage of Jane doing what she loved most, including her biannual visits to the Erren River in Taiwan, where she was deeply impressed by local environmental efforts. JGI Taiwan Executive Director Kelly Kok gave one of several heartfelt eulogies sharing Jane’s impact, and Mugisha Emmanuel joined from Burundi to sing his memorial song for Jane, “Together We Rise.”
🇷🇼 Rwanda — October 16, 2025
Members of Roots & Shoots Rwanda gathered with JGI staff and friends at Dream Village Rwanda to celebrate Jane’s life with a solemn minute of silence followed by heartfelt words of comfort and hope.
National Roots & Shoots Coordinator Dr. Clemence Idukunda spoke, as well as Roots & Shoots Rwanda Coordinator Marie Providence and JGI mental health consultant Dr. Allie Simmons. Jane’s son, Hugo — fondly known as Grub — was present, and shared beautiful memories of his mother’s incredible life. At the end of the ceremony, attendees planted a tree and wrote heartfelt messages to Dr. Jane in a memory book — a collective promise to carry her legacy forward.
🇫🇷 France — October 18, 2025
In Paris, a crowd of 90 people came out to pay their respects — volunteers, board members, and ambassadors of 🔗 Jane Goodall Institute France, as well as activists who have been dear friends to Jane and JGI.
This informal moment offered a space for hugs, tears, and even laughter after sharing fond memories with Jane. But it is only the beginning, as JGI France is planning Roots & Shoots events in seven regions of the country: planting trees, taking “walks of hope,” painting murals honoring Jane’s impact, screening movies, and naming various auditoriums, lecture halls, parks, and other gathering spaces in Jane’s honor.
🇩🇪 Germany — November 1, 2025
Exactly one month after Jane’s passing, 🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Germany called for a special “Walk of Hope” memorial walk. People across Germany set out — alone, with friends or family locally, or with JGI Germany staff in Munich — to honor our founder.
40 people showed up to JGI Germany’s park walk in Munich, which included several interactive stations organized by the team, each highlighting specific themes connected to Jane Goodall’s legacy. The walk ended with a musical performance at the lake and a toast — “Cheers to the clouds” — with either whisky or apple juice. The team handed out cards for participants to write personal messages, which will be used to make a digital book of condolences in memory of Jane.
🇹🇷 Turkey — November 2, 2025
🔗 Roots & Shoots Turkey held a touching memorial service at the Pera Museum in Istanbul, with speakers ranging from Roots & Shoots staff to local community members.
Among the speakers was President of Roots & Shoots Turkey Aslıhan Niksarlı, who gave personal stories and insights into all the lessons that Jane has taught us. All participants were then given an opportunity to share their own stories and memories of Jane, after which staff played a video of Jane to leave everyone with a final message from her. The event ended with closing remarks, signing of a memory book, and the sharing of helva — a dessert of sugar and semolina flour often eaten during periods of mourning in Turkey.
🇨🇭 Switzerland — November 2, 2025
🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Switzerland’s memorial service focused on the joy and inspiration Jane brought us. The casual gathering brought together 400 people to watch the movie “Jane” at Blue Cinema Corso in Zurich. After watching the film and discussing the impact of Jane’s life and work on so many people, those who gathered filled in a “Tree of Life” display.
Participants handwrote messages to Jane about her work on each leaf, and as the tree grew, so did the reminder that this same work continues through us.
🇰🇷 South Korea — November 2, 2025
🔗 The Biodiversity Foundation — South Korea’s branch of Roots & Shoots — honored Jane one month after her passing with a visit to the Jangsan Observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.
Jane had visited there during her last trip to South Korea in 2023, during which she met with R&S members and made chimpanzee calls toward both South and North Korea as a message of peace. The Roots & Shoots team invited those very same members to relive that unforgettable moment and collectively bid farewell to Jane. After the visit, all participants were invited to gather at the Biodiversity Foundation office in Seoul and share their stories and memories of Jane.
🇳🇱 The Netherlands — November 8, 2025
🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Netherlands staff, friends of JGI, Roots & Shoots members, volunteers, and donors gathered together at Burgers’ Zoo to celebrate Jane’s life and legacy. The audience included biologist and friends of Jane’s Jan van Hooff, behavioral biologist Patrick van Veen, and ecologist Sterrin Smalbrugge.
In an engaging conversation led by Dutch radio and television presenter Humberto Tan, attendees shared music, poems, and many fond memories of Jane. Most importantly, the group discussed how they will we continue her life’s work.
🇦🇹 Austria — November 9, 2025
🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Austria held a deeply emotional “Matinee of Hope” in honor of Jane. Around 550 people gathered at Meinl’s Rösthalle in Vienna to celebrate her life, from friends and supporters to board members and honorary ambassadors.
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen sent along a touching video message. Between speakers sharing fond memories and words of gratitude, the choir Cantus Juvenis, cellist Julia Schreyvogel, and pianist Maria Rom performed pieces that meant a great deal to Jane. After the official program ended, there was time for conversations and sharing children’s “cards of hope.” During these conversations, one message rang out from many voices: “Now more than ever — and even more.”
🇺🇸 United States of America — November 12, 2025
🔗 Jane Goodall Institute USA gathered staff both current and past, friends of Jane and the organization, dignitaries from around the world, and over 100 Roots & Shoots members and alumni at the Washington National Cathedral.
The service featured tributes and readings from Jane’s grandchildren, Merlin, Nick, and Angel van Lawick; actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio; lauded scientist Dr. Francis S. Collins; and JGI USA Executive Director Anna Rathmann. The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, served as Preacher and wove Jane’s own writings and words throughout her homily.
Honoring Jane’s deep connection to Indigenous communities, members of the Navajo and Cherokee nations — including Jane’s old friend Mac Hall — gave readings and prayers. Grammy award–winning violinist Joshua Bell, National Symphony Orchestra youth members, Children of the Gospel Youth Choir, and Washington National Cathedral musicians provided music throughout.
The service began with a 20-dog salute on the cathedral steps, and ended with a magnificent peace dove puppet — a fixture at Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots events — which was carried by young Roots & Shoots leaders as a reminder that Jane’s work continues through all of us.
🇦🇺 Australia — November 13, 2025
As the sun set on November 13, a large crowd joined 🔗 Jane Goodall Institute Australia in a public memorial at Taronga Zoo overlooking Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. In keeping with Jane’s strong support of Indigenous voices and knowledge, Aboriginal practices played a large part in the ceremony, with a First Nations smoking ceremony and spiritual farewell, as well as the telling of Aboriginal stories of the dreaming — ancestral origin stories of the world’s creation. Youth voices from Roots & Shoots groups in Australia carried Jane’s message forward with their own reflections and stories of hope, followed by a video tribute from Robert Irwin.
Ending with “The Earth Breathes” — a moment of silence from the whole group — participants left with more than the native seedball gifts that were handed out; they left with inspiration to keep Jane’s dream alive.
🇨🇦 Canada — November 22, 2025
🔗 The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada hosted its official memorial in Toronto, Ontario, with more than 1,700 people in attendance, both in person and online. Opening with a performance of “Ave Maria” by cellist Meagan Ballantyne, the memorial featured a heartfelt video message from Jane’s grandson, Merlin van Lawick.
Other speakers included broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos, former Youth Advisory Council member and current JGI Canada Board member Chloë Chang, and representatives from the Willow River Centre. Vice-chair of the JGI Canada Board Karen McCarthy read a written message from Prime Minister Mark Carney, musician Jann Arden performed a special musical tribute, and CEO of JGI Canada Bella Lam gave closing remarks to tie it all together. Together, people were able to celebrate, remember, and honor Jane. Tears were shed, laughs were shared, and everyone left feeling inspired to carry forth the work that Jane cared about so deeply.
To read the official announcement of Jane’s passing, and to help us continue her legacy, please visit our “Remembering Jane” page below.
Image credits, in order of appearance: JGI India/Shweta Khare, JGI Singapore, JGI Belgium, Peter Bodzsoni, JGI Japan, Jane Goodall Institute, Roots & Shoots Rwanda, Marylou Mauricio/JGI France, JGI Germany, Roots & Shoots Türkiye / Azel Seçkin, JGI Switzerland, The Biodiversity Foundation, JGI Netherlands, Daniela Matejschek, Washington National Cathedral, JGI Canada.
