GOT her picture! So great!?Zheng Liyu cried out as she showed her peers the picture she had taken of Jane Goodall with her mobile phone. The eyes of the student from Shanghai Aquatic University were shining with excitement and joy.

“She is a heroine I really admire. I am her super fan,?said Zheng. On November 21, Goodall visited Shanghai, where she gave a speech and signed her two books translated into Chinese (“Wild Chimpanzees?and “In The Shadow of Man? for several hundred members of Roots & Shoots, a global non-government organization started by Goodall.

On that day and everyday during her world tour, Goodall is celebrating such “festivals?with young people. They are following her footsteps to care for animals, the environment and communities.

Legendary life

Goodall has won the hearts of millions of young people because of her legendary life in Africa and devotion to protecting chimpanzees and their environment.

In the summer of 1960, 26-year-old Goodall arrived on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa to study the area’s chimpanzee population.

Although it was unheard of for a woman to venture into the wilds of the African forest, the trip meant the fulfillment of Jane Goodall’s childhood dream. “I thought I could be a better wife of Tarzan,?said Goodall.

Tanza? Do you mean Tarzan?

For the past quarter-century in the jungles of the Gombe Reserve in Africa, living in the chimps?environment and gaining their confidence, Goodall has become the world’s foremost authority on chimpanzees. Her research has changed people’s understanding of the animals as well ourselves.

One day in October 1960, Goodall saw chimps David Graybeard and Goliath strip leaves off twigs to fashion tools for fishing termites from a nest. Scientists thought humans were the only species to make tools, but here was evidence to the contrary. On hearing of Goodall’s observation, her mentor, Louis Leakey, said: “Now we must redefine tool, redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as humans.? “From the study of chimpanzees, we know that human beings are not the only beings on the planet...?Goodall told local students.

For that reason, she has devoted her life to helping millions of people understand the importance of wildlife conservation to life on this planet.

In 1977, Goodall expanded her global outreach with the founding of the Jane Goodall Institute to provide ongoing support for field research on wild chimpanzees. Today, the mission of the institute is to advance the power of individuals to take informed and compassionate action to improve the environment for all living things.

The institute is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centred conservation and development programmes in Africa and the Roots & Shoots education program in more than 70 countries.

“In Shanghai and nearby cities, Roots & Shoots have developed teams in 85 schools from kindergarten to university in four years,?said Fang Hui from the Roots & Shoots Shanghai Office.

Goodall has published a series of books for adults and children and has won scores of honours. Her latest came in October, when Time magazine’s European edition named her one of 2004’s heroes in its “tribute to 29 dazzling people who shine a light on the world.? In April 2002, Secretary General Kofi Annan named Goodall a United Nations “Messenger of Peace?to help mobilize the public to become involved in work that makes the world a better place.

Spreading hope

“Many young people around the world are losing hope, especially in poor countries, ?wars, terrorism, pollution ...,?said Goodall.

But she had reason for hope: the human brain, the determination of young people, the indomitable nature of the human spirit as well as the incredible resilience of nature.

Goodall’s schedule is filled and around 300 days out of the year she is on the road, lecturing, sharing her hope and encouraging young people to make a difference in their world.

On November 22 she gave a speech to students of Fudan University in Shanghai; At the second day, she flew to Beijing and Wednesday, she met students at North China’s Tianjing Nankai University.

“It’s really hard for a 70-year-old woman, travelling and giving speeches,?Goodall said but the mission of spreading hope to young people drives her.

“Old people like me won’t change but the growing younger generation can make changes,?she said.

Witnessing the expansion of Roots & Shoots teams and other environmental organizations, Goodall said, “I find that more young Chinese people want to be involved in environmental protection. They pay attention to their living environment and know not to destroy the planet.? Regarding the special situation in China, where the rapid development of the economy brings increasing pollution, Goodall said that each young person could do even a tiny thing to make big changes such as saving energy, light and water.

The seeds of her hope for the environment has rooted in the younger generation. A local 8-year-old boy, Qu Zhonggang, said proudly: “I separate the recyclable rubbish every day to protect the environment!?