Environmental conservationists including actor Leonardo DiCaprio and Indigenous community representatives have gathered in Washington, DC to pay tribute to celebrated primatologist Jane Goodall.
Dr Goodall, who died in October at age 91, transformed the study of chimpanzees and became one of the world’s most revered wildlife advocates during her decades-long career.
Leonardo DiCaprio honoured his late friend during the service. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
“May we all honour her by carrying forward that same fierce belief that we can do better, that we must do better, and that we have a responsibility to protect this beautiful natural world we all share,” DiCaprio said in his remarks at the Washington National Cathedral service.
High-profile mourners who counted themselves among Dr Goodall’s friends attended the funeral at Washington National Cathedral. (AP: Mark Schiefelbein)
Former house speaker Nancy Pelosi and chef Jose Andres attended the funeral. (AP: Mark Schiefelbein)
Dr Goodall could be clear-eyed and blunt “about the greed and relentless consumption of our species”, the Hollywood star said of his late friend.
“But beneath that fierce honesty was an unwavering faith that every voice matters, that we are all connected to the living world, and that each of us can make a difference,” DiCaprio said.
National Indian Youth Leadership Project founder McClellan “Mac” Hall addresses the mourners. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
Joshua Bell plays the violin during the funeral service for Jane Goodall. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
Family members, loved ones and figures in her circle attended the ceremony in honour of the British environmental activist, who died in Los Angeles while on a speaking tour.
Some people carried plush chimpanzees as a nod to Dr Goodall’s groundbreaking research.
Mariann Edgar Budde speaks during the service. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
A clergyman adjusts a cloth covering an urn containing the ashes of Dr Goodall. (AP: Mark Schiefelbein)
Navajo Nation member DeWayne “Dee” Crank said Dr Goodall’s “lifelong advocacy” reflected “a harmony with Navajo beliefs”.
He said it stood as “a reminder that humanity’s strength lies in its respect for all living things and in our responsibility to protect the Earth for future generations”.
Dogs formed a guard of honour at the service. (AP: Jose Luis Magana)
Therapy dogs also greeted attendees at the cathedral’s steps.
In 1977 the luminary founded the Jane Goodall Institute — headquartered in Washington, DC — to further research and conservation of chimpanzees.
Jane Goodall died at the age of 91. (AP: Jean-Marc Bouju)
In 1991 she launched Roots & Shoots, a youth-led environmental program that today operates in more than 60 countries.
Dr Goodall wrote dozens of books, appeared in documentaries and earned numerous honours, among them being made a Dame Commander by Britain and receiving the US Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden.
Former National Institutes of Health director Francis S Collins spoke at the funeral. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
Jane Goodall’s grandson Merlin van Lawick carried a stuffed toy of a chimpanzee during the funeral. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
“She constantly reminded us that life was full of wonders — an interconnected tapestry of diverse creatures,” her grandson Merlin van Lawick said during his eulogy.
“We promise to carry forth your light.”
AFP
