The death of Kofi Annan will be mourned not only by his family, but by people around the world. In particular, the African nations will grieve at the passing of the first black African to be appointed Secretary General of the UN. It was a position which laid heavy responsibilities on him at a time when so much conflict raged around the world.
I was honoured to be appointed by Kofi as one of his UN Messengers of Peace. This was because of the Jane Goodall Institute’s program for young people of all ages in over 80 countries, Roots & Shoots. A program which enables youth to realize, through meeting young people from around the world, that whatever our nationality, culture or religion, whatever the colour of our skin, underneath we are all one family – we bleed the same blood, weep the same tears, and when we are happy our laughter is the same.
We are committed to conserving our environment and its wildlife for the sake of future generations, and Kofi Annan leaves a remarkable legacy of commitment to the welfare of our planet and compassion for those who share it with us. It is my hope that we will all do our utmost to further this so important issue, to support those causes to which he was committed.
The Jane Goodall Institute is a global community conservation organization that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall. By protecting chimpanzees and inspiring people to conserve the natural world we all share, we improve the lives of people, animals and the environment. Everything is connected—everyone can make a difference.
