Dr. Jane Goodall, the 2020 Tang Prize Laureate in Sustainable Development, has captivated Taiwan with her presence since her arrival on June 4. Her visit has included the opening of the "The Ocean Will..." Exhibition at the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology in Keelung and the "2025 Roots & Shoots United Nations for Animals" conference, creating what local media has dubbed the "Jane Goodall Effect."
Following her inspirational lecture, "Inspiring Hope Through Action," at the National Taipei University of Technology yesterday, which drew over 2,000 attendees, Dr. Goodall made her first in-person visit to the Tang Prize Foundation since receiving the award during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. She was warmly welcomed by Dr. Chung-Yao Yin, Chairman of the Tang Prize Foundation, and Dr. Jenn-Chuan Chern, CEO of the Tang Prize Foundation, along with the Foundation's staff.
Chairman Yin, representing Founder Dr. Samuel Yin, shared a particularly engaging discussion with Dr. Goodall, finding common ground in their shared academic heritage - he as an Oxford doctorate-holder passionate about ESG initiatives, and she as a Cambridge alumna. The Foundation hosted a specially prepared vegetarian luncheon honoring Dr. Goodall's decades-long commitment to vegetarianism, with staff members joining in support of her environmental and animal welfare principles.
Dr. Jenn-Chuan Chern, who personally delivered the Tang Prize medal to Dr. Goodall in Singapore last December, presented her with a special gift: a traditional Paiwan indigenous glass bead necklace. These beads, treasured heirlooms of Taiwan's Paiwan tribe, symbolize nobility, wisdom, protection, and reverence for nature. Dr. Goodall, who has long advocated for indigenous communities worldwide, was delighted with this meaningful gift, which deeply resonated with her own lifelong advocacy for indigenous communities and her connection to the natural world.
Dr. Chern noted that at 91, Dr. Goodall continues to travel globally, dedicating herself to environmental protection, wildlife conservation, and sustainable education. Her spirit and determination remain remarkable, as reflected in her personal message to the Tang Prize Foundation: "The generosity of the Tang Prize Foundation is overwhelming. It will help me to expand our Roots & Shoots programme that empowers young people around the world to take action and make our planet a better place for people, animals, and the environment."
The Foundation takes pride in supporting Dr. Goodall's initiatives through the Tang Prize Research Grant and has actively assisted in promoting various events, including her recent "Inspiring Hope Through Action" public lecture.
During her visit, Dr. Goodall signed the Foundation's "Table of Honor," crafted from Taiwan's precious indigenous Formosan Michelia wood. The table features carvings of three Paiwan tribal treasures: pottery vessels, ceremonial knives, and glass beads, along with the Chinese moccasin (hundred-pace snake), believed to embody ancestral spirits. Her signature will join those of previous laureates, marking a significant moment in the Foundation's history.
The Foundation also arranged a guided tour showcasing the contributions of five previous Tang Prize Laureates in Sustainable Development. Dr. Goodall was visibly moved upon seeing the exhibition in the main hall, which displayed a photograph of her with the chimpanzee Freud, her signed headshot, her letter to the Foundation, publications, and commemorative gifts from previous laureates - symbolizing the ongoing collaborative effort toward a more sustainable planet.
Dr. Goodall received the 2020 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development in recognition of her groundbreaking discovery in primatology that redefined the human-animal relationship and her lifelong, unparalleled dedication to the conservation of the Earth environment.
In 2021, the Jane Goodall Institute and the Tang Prize Foundation signed a Memorandum of Agreement, allocating NT$10 million to support two major conservation initiatives. The first is the "Wild Chimpanzee Conservation and Research in South-east Senegal." The second, known as the "Conservation Projects of Asia" (2021-2025), extends across three Asian countries with distinct and meaningful impacts in each region.
In Taiwan, the project has achieved a significant milestone with the establishment of the "Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy," marking Asia's first experimental elementary school that focuses on conservation and sustainability issues. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, the initiative has implemented the comprehensive "Project Monyet," which enhances public awareness of primate conservation on the Malaysian Peninsula through a series of targeted workshops and research programs.
The initiative's reach extends to India through the "Hope Project," which is dedicated to nurturing young people's understanding of nature and developing their capacity for environmental action. This project works diligently to rebuild the crucial connections between humans and nature that have been weakened over time.
To ensure continued collaboration and knowledge sharing, the program organizes annual Youth Forums where teams can exchange experiences and showcase their achievements. Beyond these gatherings, the initiative consistently produces diverse and impactful educational materials, strategically designed to expand conservation awareness and maximize social influence across all participating regions.
About the Tang Prize
Since the advent of globalization, mankind has been able to enjoy the convenience brought forth by the advancement of human civilization and science. Yet a multitude of challenges, such as climate change, the emergence of new infectious diseases, wealth gap, and moral degradation, have surfaced along the way. Against this backdrop, Dr. Samuel Yin established the Tang Prize in December 2012. It consists of four award categories, namely Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology, and Rule of Law. Every other year, four independent and professional selection committees, comprising many internationally renowned experts, scholars, and Nobel winners, choose as Tang Prize laureates people who have influenced and made substantive contributions to the world, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or gender. A cash prize of NT$50 million (approx. US$1.7 million) is allocated to each category, with NT$10 million (approx. US$ 0.35 million) of it being a research grant intended to encourage professionals in every field to examine mankind’s most urgent needs in the 21st century, and become leading forces in the development of human society through their outstanding research outcomes and active civic engagement.
