Jane Goodall: Amazon of a better world
- October 2, 2025
In 2012, we had the opportunity to meet and interview Jane Goodall, who was in Panama to participate in a historic international gathering of young environmental leaders. Following her passing on October 1st, we are republishing the interview we conducted at that time.
By Roberto Quintero
Photos: Luis Eduardo Guillén
Jane Goodall enters the scene and time seems to stand still. Millions of excited molecules unleash shouts, applause, whistles, and tears of unrestrained emotion. She simply smiles sweetly, and suddenly, she is the very sun that has risen before us. Not even a million flashes could compete with her radiant light as she moves through a sea of hugs, photos, and autographs, like some kind of environmental messiah traversing the ends of the Earth, proposing the construction of a better world. She is a star, without a doubt, and no one can resist her charm.
Jane Goodall is famous for having revolutionized science in the 1960s with her studies of chimpanzee behavior in Africa.
Where was I that I hadn’t seen her before? I wish I could tell you I knew everything about her before our meeting, during her last visit to Panama, but I can’t bring myself to lie to you, my readers. I had heard about her studies of chimpanzee behavior in Africa—whose discoveries revolutionized the field of science in the 1960s—and her commitment to educating and promoting more sustainable lifestyles; but I had no idea of the significance of this mission, to which she has dedicated her entire life, and the impact her work and ideas have had on millions of people around the world. And believe me, it’s one thing to say it and quite another to witness the affection and admiration this woman inspires in everyone around her.
The Roots & Shoots movement, which the English activist and conservationist created twenty years ago in Tanzania, is now present in more than 120 countries around the world.
It was precisely one of her most significant contributions to humanity that brought her to Panama recently. The English primatologist (born in London on April 3, 1934, as Valerie Jane Morris Goodall), activist, and above all, the most renowned scientist of the 20th century, was visiting to participate in a historic international gathering: the First Pan-American Conference of Roots & Shoots, a movement she founded twenty years ago in Tanzania and which is now present in more than 120 countries, focusing on generating positive changes for the benefit of humans, animals, and the environment.
The conference was a joint effort between Roots & Shoots and Earth Train, an international organization based in Panama.
More than thirty young people from different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean participated, all environmental leaders working on diverse projects, programs, and foundations, including the release of captive animals, the protection of endangered species, and environmental education. The meeting took place in an unbeatable setting: six rainy days camping in the beautiful rainforest within the Mamoní Valley Reserve (10,000 hectares of pasture and primary and secondary forest, two and a half hours from Panama City), home to incredible flora and fauna. A picture-perfect place, where green dominates the landscape, while the pulse of wildlife mingles with the sound of rain and the laughter of rivers and waterfalls.
There you’ll find the Mamoní Center, a campus for training the next generation of environmentally conscious leaders. It’s an initiative of Earth Train, an international non-profit organization that created, protects, and manages the Mamoní Valley Reserve, and which, along with Roots & Shoots, was responsible for bringing this conference to Panama.
The participants shared life experiences, learning from the challenges they face in developing their respective projects and how they have overcome them. They discussed specific topics such as fundraising and the use of social media in the fight for the environment, among others, under the guidance of adult mentors. There was also plenty of fun and adventure. With all that nature surrounding them, there was ample opportunity to explore the reserve. During the lively outdoor hikes, there was much to learn. And at night, there were cultural gatherings and bonfires, filled with stories, personal anecdotes, and jokes. Truly magical moments by the fire, filled with joy and good vibes, music, and delicious food.
Copa Airlines was a sponsor of the First Pan-American Roots & Shoots Conference.
And amidst tapirs, harpy eagles, and howler monkeys, bamboo, rivers, and mountains, and mud that seemed to ooze from their ears, stood the fascinating Dr. Jane Goodall, passing the torch of hope to the young people surrounding her, eager to listen and continue her legacy. The same woman who shook the foundations of biology when she was barely twenty, discovering that chimpanzees were also capable of making tools, shattering the prevailing idea that humans were the only species capable of creating implements. And consequently, she stood up against the most reactionary faction of scientists who immediately criticized her for her unconventional methods, for not being a scientist, and, why not say it, for being a beautiful woman who graced the cover of National Geographic and conquered the world.
Energetic and tough when she speaks with conviction about her ideas, gentle and sweet when someone comes to her asking for advice, she firmly believes that the best way to deliver her message of love is by telling stories. “When I was a little girl, my dream was that when I grew up I would travel to Africa to study the animals and write books about them. Everyone laughed at me. We didn’t really know much about Africa; we called it the ‘dark continent.’ World War II was raging, and my family had no money. Besides, I was a girl; girls don’t dream about those kinds of things. So they laughed at me and said, ‘Why don’t you forget that idea and dream about something you can actually achieve? Put all that nonsense about Africa aside.’ But my mom told me one day, ‘If you really want something, work hard, and never give up, you’ll find a way to achieve your dream.’ And that simple message from my mom is what has inspired and driven this whole great Roots & Shoots movement.”
At 77 years old, she still has the energy and strength to travel the world, promoting Roots & Shoots and alerting humanity to the terrible state of the planet we adults are leaving to children and young people if the devastation isn’t stopped and self-sustaining and environmentally friendly ways of life aren’t established. She is unstoppable, tireless, and incredible. By her side, the idea of a better and fairer world doesn’t seem like a utopia. She is also a charming, captivating, and incredibly funny woman. Jane Goodall, the great figure who inspires and motivates millions, took the time to offer a gesture and a word to each of the participants, with her mischievous smile and keen sense of humor. She even gave me a gift, but she made me promise that it would stay between us. And so it will.
Interview
A coffee in the woods
How do you keep your faith and hope alive after so many years of work and struggle for the preservation of life?
It’s thanks to young people. As you can see here with these young people: you can see the determination they have, so full of hope, energy, and commitment. Well, that’s what I always get everywhere I go. With the Roots & Shoots groups, we organize festivals, we have a couple of international summits, and you listen to them and hear about their plans. They’re not just talking, they’re doing. Roots & Shoots is about rolling up your sleeves and getting to work. Talking, getting to the heart of the problem, figuring out what you can do to solve it, and if you can solve it, learning how to overcome the obstacles. And then you have to go out there, roll up your sleeves, and do it. And if you make a mistake, you don’t give up, you just find another way to do it.
Sitting on a wooden bench lost in the thick of the Panamanian jungle, we shared a coffee and a few brief minutes with Dr. Jane Goodall, to talk about the future of humanity.
Compared to how you found it in the 1960s, when you started your work in Africa, is the world really so bad now?
Yes, it’s very bad.
Because the feeling one gets now is that there’s a lot of information and environmental awareness, as well as many people interested in and working for a better planet. Do you think this is happening because the world has reached a point where things are very bad?
Things are very bad. When I see a small child, I always think about what the world was like when I was that age and how we’ve ruined it to get to where it is now. Look at how many forests have disappeared, how much erosion, how many species have gone extinct, how many people are dying of hunger around the world. Look at how much the world’s population has grown; we’re already seven billion, and this is a planet with limited resources. We can’t keep growing indefinitely because the time will come when the planet can’t sustain us. To feed all these people, we have to make huge changes now.
And what about the future? You work tirelessly to build a better future, with the participation of these young Roots & Shoots members who follow you around the world. Faced with such a bleak scenario, how do you feel the future will be?
My hope is to achieve a critical mass of young people. To reach a turning point thanks to young people with a different philosophy of life, who will become the leaders of tomorrow. They are brilliant in every way and will become the future lawyers, doctors, teachers, and politicians, who will also be parents. Young people who understand that it’s obvious we need money to live; the point where we went wrong was when we started living only for money. Do you see what I mean? Once you’ve covered your basic needs and saved a little extra from what you’ve earned, you’re fine. There’s no need to be greedy.
The crazy and sad thing is that adults know and understand this too.
Sure, but they don’t want to do anything about it. Unlike young people, who not only know but are also taking action. They’re doing something to change the course of things. And that’s a good reason to remain hopeful.
What does it feel like to be an inspiration to so many people around the world?
I try not to think about it, you know? For me, there are two Janes. There’s me, the one who loves coming to the woods, talking to people, having fun, and having a whisky. And then there’s the Jane who gets up on a stage in front of thousands of people, and they’re all inspired. Sometimes I tend to think her words come from somewhere, you know? I don’t know, but I need to make that distinction. If I start thinking about myself in the terms other people think about me, that would be very peculiar. How would I live? And I know who I am. I accept that I have this role, and it’s a gift. That’s what it is: a gift.
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