11/10/2025
CJCU Holds Memorial Service for Dr. Jane Goodall – Inviting All to Carry Forward the Everlasting Spirit of “Understand, Care, and Act”
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and United Nations Messenger of Peace, passed away on October 1, 2025, during her lecture tour in the United States, at the age of 91.
The news brought deep sorrow to the faculty, students, and environmental education partners of Chang Jung Christian University (CJCU).
Dr. Goodall devoted her life to the philosophy of “Understand – Care – Act,” inspiring countless people worldwide to engage in nature conservation and sustainable action. Her connection with CJCU spans more than a decade, and her wisdom has become a guiding light for the university’s mission in sustainability education.
To honor this extraordinary mentor who inspired the world through her compassion and action, CJCU will hold a Memorial Service for Dr. Jane Goodall on October 15, 2025 (Wednesday), at 2:00 p.m. in the International Conference Hall (6F, Administration Building). Following the ceremony, a tree-planting event will take place at the Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots Eco-Education Center, symbolizing the continuation of her spirit and the growth of hope.
The Beginning of a Bond: From the Erren River to a Shared Vision
The relationship between Dr. Goodall and CJCU began in November 2012, when she first visited Tainan and explored the Baishalun Wetland along the Erren River, then undergoing ecological restoration. Once one of Taiwan’s most polluted rivers, the Erren had long suffered from industrial waste and scrap metal dumping. Through years of public–private collaboration, the river gradually came back to life.
Witnessing the thriving wetland, with fiddler crabs and mudskippers returning and teachers leading children in outdoor environmental learning, Dr. Goodall expressed deep admiration. She noted that CJCU’s River Restoration Center, established in 2002 to assist Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (now the Ministry of Environment) in promoting action-based environmental education, echoed the spirit of her own Roots & Shoots Program, founded in 1991.
Praising the Erren River as “the finest example of river restoration I have seen,” Dr. Goodall’s visit laid the foundation for a lasting partnership between the Jane Goodall Institute and CJCU.
From Shared Ideals to Lasting Collaboration
In 2014, Dr. Goodall revisited the Erren River and began formal collaboration with CJCU. During her visit, she planted a symbolic “Jane Goodall Tree” on campus and announced plans to establish the Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots Eco-Education Center — a base for environmental education and experiential learning.
In 2017, CJCU founded the International College of Practice and Education for the Environment (ICPEE), with Dr. Goodall serving as Honorary Dean. Within the college, the International Program for Sustainable Development (IPSD) was launched, and CJCU established the Dr. Jane Goodall Scholarship to support youth recommended by the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots networks. To date, the scholarship has enabled 158 students from 13 countries to study in Taiwan, learning about sustainability, community engagement, and social innovation — continuing Dr. Goodall’s educational vision among new generations.
From 2015 to 2025, CJCU and the Tainan City Government also co-hosted nine Animal Carnivals and one United Nations for Animals, engaging more than 10,000 participants to advocate for animal welfare and life education — living out Dr. Goodall’s lifelong mission to be a voice for animals.
From Taiwan to the World: Expanding the Spirit of “Roots & Shoots”
Inspired by Dr. Goodall’s guidance, CJCU extended its University Social Responsibility (USR) initiatives from local communities to the global stage. Since 2022, the university has promoted “Taiwan Experience – Global Practice,” implementing sustainable development projects in Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, Eswatini, and Indonesia.
Among these are the Care Project — focusing on women’s empowerment and menstrual hygiene education — and the Keyhole Garden Project, which reuses kitchen waste to create self-sustaining vegetable gardens. These programs embody the very essence of the Roots & Shoots spirit: transforming understanding into compassion, and compassion into action.
A Farewell Visit and a Living Legacy
Dr. Goodall’s final visit to CJCU was in June 7, 2025. At the university’s commencement ceremony, she encouraged graduates, saying:
“Every individual matters. Every day, you can make a difference.”
Later that afternoon, she reminded faculty and students of the environmental education partner schools and organizations in the United Nations Assembly for Animals,
“Hope comes from taking action.”
Those words now echo as her final blessing to the CJCU community — a call to transform grief into action, and remembrance into renewed purpose.
Memorial Activity Details
The Memorial Service for Dr. Jane Goodall will feature a video presentation titled “Dr. Goodall’s Journey with CJCU.”
The program will include hymn performances of “Amazing Grace”, songs of remembrance such as “Together We Rise” and “Roots & Shoots Memorial Song,” and reflections shared by Board Director Mr. Lih-Jen Liu, President Dr. Hui-Min Sun, Former President Dr. Yung-Lung Lee, Jane Goodall Institute Taiwan CEO Kelly Kuo, Acting Dean of ICPEE Dr. Ching-Yi Horng, and student representatives.
After the ceremony, faculty, students, and environmental partners will gather at the Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots Eco-Education Center for a tree-planting activity, symbolizing the continuation of Dr. Goodall’s spirit and the growth of hope through collective action.
The newly planted trees will form a “Forest of Hope,” standing as a living testament to her enduring faith in life, education, and the sustainability of our planet.
CJCU’s faculty and students reaffirm their commitment to carrying forward Dr. Goodall’s legacy — nurturing the Roots & Shoots ideals so that they may continue to take root and flourish across the world.
Memorial Service Information
• Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
• Time: 2:00 p.m.
• Venue: International Conference Hall, 6F, Administration Building, Chang Jung Christian University
