- Dr. Jane Goodall and T of R Pres. Sally Bixby, photo courtesy of Tournament of Roses, click to enlarge
Press Release posted 4/26/12 – The Pasadena Tournament of Roses® revealed today that Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, will serve as the Grand Marshal of the 2013 Tournament of Roses festivities. On New Year’s Day, in front of a world television audience, Dr. Goodall will ride in the 124th Rose Parade® presented by Honda and themed “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!.” She will then toss the coin before the 99th Rose Bowl Game® presented by VIZIO. Dr. Goodall has been an inspiration to the Pasadena Tournament of Roses as the organization continues to seek ways to make the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game more sustainable by finding ways to evolve waste-management practices and inspire that change in those who participate in Tournament of Roses events.
“We selected our theme, ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’ with Dr. Goodall in mind as Grand Marshal,” said Tournament of Roses President Sally Bixby. “The theme can be interpreted as a celebration of accomplishment, discovery and travel of course, but equally valid is its implicit call to action. We think Dr. Goodall’s life story is a testament to the sense of adventure and openness to possibility that this phrase suggests: As a young woman, she defied convention to follow her dreams, and she has committed herself to a life of global citizenship, inspiring children and adults alike along the way. 2013 will be the 53rd anniversary of her field study of the Gombe chimpanzees. I can think of no one whose life has better exemplified our theme and message than Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall is now an international icon, but it is her passion for discovery and how she has used her celebrity for the betterment of the world that has drawn us to her.”
At the age of 26, Jane Goodall traveled from England to what is today Tanzania and bravely entered the little-known world of wild chimpanzees. She was equipped with nothing more than a notebook and a pair of binoculars. But with her unyielding patience and characteristic optimism, she won the trust of these initially shy creatures. She managed to open a window into their sometimes strange and often familiar-seeming lives. Her early findings—that chimpanzees make and use tools, eat meat, and engage in war-like activity—profoundly altered our understanding of what it means to be human.
Today, Dr. Goodall’s work revolves around inspiring action on behalf of endangered species, particularly chimpanzees, and encouraging people to do their part to make the world a better place for people, animals and the environment.
The Jane Goodall Institute, which Dr. Goodall founded in 1977, works to protect the wild chimpanzees of Gombe National Park in Tanzania and other parts of Africa, but recognizes this cannot be accomplished without a comprehensive approach that addresses the needs of local people who are critical to chimpanzee survival.
The Institute’s community-centered conservation program in Africa (TACARE) includes sustainable development projects that engage local people as true partners. The program began around Gombe in 1994, but has since been replicated in other parts of the continent.
Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, which Dr. Goodall started with a group of Tanzania students in 1991, is today the Institute’s global environmental and humanitarian youth program for young people from preschool through university with hundreds of thousands of members in more than 120 countries around the world. Members of Roots & Shoots California groups attended the event and escorted Dr. Goodall to the podium.
“I am honored to be the Grand Marshal for the 2013 Tournament of Roses,” said Dr. Jane Goodall. “New Year’s day symbolizes the opportunity to work toward new goals, experience new beginnings, and make a difference. My dream for this New Year’s Day is for everyone to think of the places we can all go if we work together to make our world a better place. Every journey starts with a step and I am pleased to see the Tournament of Roses continue to take steps toward not only celebrating beauty and imagination, but also a cleaner environment.”
“Each year, the Tournament of Roses invites its Grand Marshal to not only become a part of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game, but also a part of its extended family,” said Bixby. “We are hoping to learn from Dr. Goodall as we continue to look for ways to make our events more sustainable in the area of resource management to promote long-term behavioral change.”
Initiatives the Tournament of Roses is developing or continuing in 2012 include:
- With the assistance of Three Squares International Inc. (TSI), a Los Angeles-based, globally recognized environmental consulting firm, continue to develop greening strategies for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game and identify organizations to partner with and create sponsored recycling and greening efforts. TSI specializes in developing comprehensive sustainability plans for corporate entities, government agencies and academic institutions.
- Work in collaboration with Rose Parade participants to continue to pursue alternative power sources that could help to reduce emissions.
- In collaboration with the City of Pasadena, further enhance recycling efforts and diversion of waste material at Tournament of Roses-sponsored events.
- Provide Rose Parade band participants with reusable water bottles at the end of the Parade route.
- Provide event participants and attendees with recycling tips for their visit to Pasadena on New Year’s Day.
These projects are just a few measures that the Tournament of Roses plans to put in place. Additional greening strategies can be found on the Tournament of Roses website at http://www.tournamentofroses.com/TheRoseParade/AboutUs/GreeningStrategies.aspx.
For further information about Dr. Jane Goodall and the work of the Jane Goodall Institute, including Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, please visit www.janegoodall.org and www.rootsandshoots.org.