Am 1. Oktober ist Jane Goodall im Alter von 91 Jahren gestorben. Über 60 Jahre lang hat sie die Primatenforschung revolutioniert, doch hat sich ihr diesbezügliches Engagement nicht auf Schimpansen beschränkt. Mehr und mehr rückte auch der Mensch und seine alles entscheidende Rolle ins Zentrum ihrer unermüdlichen Aktivität rund um den Erdball. Unzählige Projekte zum Schutz der Umwelt, v.a. von und mit Kindern und Jugendlichen, haben sie und ihre vielen Unterstützer weltweit initiiert. Dabei war ihr immer besonders wichtig, stets der friedlichen Koexistenz aller lebendigen Umwelt gleichermaßen gerecht zu werden: dem Land, den Tieren, den Menschen.
In einer berührenden Video-Botschaft appellierte Jane Goodall kurz vor ihrem Tod noch einmal an jede/n einzelne/n von uns. Hier das wortgetreue Transkript:
Jost-Alexander Binder
“In the place where I am now, I look back over my life. I look back at the world I’ve left behind. What message do I want to leave?
I want to make sure that you all understand that each and every one of you has a role to play. You may not know it. You may not find it. But your life matters and you are here for a reason. And I just hope that that reason will become apparent as you live through your life. I want you to know that, whether or not you find that role that you are supposed to play, your life does matter. And that every single day you live, you make a difference in the world. And you got to choose the difference that you make.
I want you to understand that we are a part of the natural world. And even today, where the planet is dark, there still is hope. Don’t lose hope. If you lose hope, you become apathetic and do nothing. And if you want to save what is still beautiful in this world, if you want to save the planet for the future generations, your grandchildren, their grandchildren, then think about the actions you take each day. Because multiplied a million, a billion times, even small actions will make for great change.
I want to… I just hope that you understand that this life on planet earth isn’t the end. I believe and now I know that there is life beyond death that consciousness survives. I can’t tell you from where I am secrets that are not mine to share. I can’t tell you what you will find when you leave planet Earth. But I want you to know that your life on planet Earth will make some difference in the kind of life that you find after you die.
Above all I want you to think about the fact that we are part… when we’re on planet Earth, we are part of Mother Nature. We depend on Mother Nature for clean air, for water, for food, for clothing, for everything. And as we destroy one ecosystem after another, as we create worse climate change, worse loss of diversity, we have to do everything in our power to make the world a better place for the children alive today and for those that will follow.
You have it in your power to make a difference. Don’t give up. There is a future for you. Do your best while you’re still on this beautiful planet Earth that I look down upon from where I am now. God bless you all.”
Danke, Jane Goodall!
