After 5 years, Dr. Jane Goodall the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and UN Messenger of Peace, a world-renowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world, to Uganda will again be hosted in the pearl of Africa.
The five days visit that is scheduled from the 20th – 25th of August 2023 will involve momentous occasions including engagement with the public, especially the youth mainly about the chimpanzees and other wildlife conservation as well as other officials in the tourism industry and the government.
Dr. Jane Goodall is mainly known for groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, which forever redefined our understanding of the relationship between humans and other animals.
This transformative research continues today as the longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world and her work builds on scientific innovations, growing a lifetime of advocacy including trailblazing efforts through her international organization the Jane Goodall Institute which advances community-led conservation, and animal welfare, science, and youth empowerment through JGI’s Roots & Shoots program.
While speaking to the press, James Byamukama the Executive Director of Dr. Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) said that she will be visiting the country to connect with national audiences, spreading hope and turning it into a meaningful positive impact to create a better world for people, other animals, and the planet we share.
“Throughout her visit, Dr. Jane Goodall will engage with key stakeholders, government officials, diplomatic representatives, private sector partners, and local communities especially, sharing her profound insights and experiences in wildlife conservation and the urgent need for nature-based solutions for coexistence,” he highlighted.
According to Dr. Joshua Rukundo the Executive Director of Ngamba Island, it was 25 years in 1998 when Dr Jane Goodall championed the creation of Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary together with other conservationists in one of her visits to Uganda from Gombe, Tanzania.
“Jane is the kind of person that does not forget where she came from, she visits the Gombe stream every year as she did more than 60 years ago and continues to inspire the people and projects she started as she continues to do also with Ngamba island, therefore we feel honoured that we are going to be part of her journey this year as we celebrate the 25 years of Ngamba island, “ he added
Tadeo Bwire Kwoba the Head Marketing and Business Development of Uganda Wildlife Educational Center (UWEC) on behalf of the Executive Director revealed that at UWEC now they are taking care of over 23 chimps with two infants that have no names as of now of which they wish to name one as Jane Goodall in recognition of her tirelessly efforts towards conservation.
Dr Peter Apell the Programs Director at Jane Goodall Institute in Uganda highlighted that in Africa where chimpanzees exist, they used to be in 24 countries in 1900, today they are only in 20 countries, and the population of the chimps used to be over 2 million but today they are just 135,000 which means in just 100 years the number of our closest relatives has been significantly decreased.
The 25th-anniversary celebrations Ngamba Island aim to raise awareness about the importance of conserving chimpanzees and their natural habitats and the theme for this celebration is “Partnerships for co-existence, to promote the need for humans and wildlife to live in harmony in shared environments.”
Dr. Goodall’s visit to Uganda holds particular significance as she was instrumental in founding the Jane Goodall Institute and Chimpanzee Trust, both of which have been crucial in spearheading conservation efforts here in Uganda.
About JGI
Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) Uganda is a non-profit, conservation organization dedicated to wildlife research, conservation, and community development with a focus on protecting chimpanzees and their forest habitats, we strive to create a sustainable future for all living beings.
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