Leonardo DiCaprio Pays Tribute to Jane Goodall in Memorial Service

TIME

Funeral services for conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall were held Wednesday at Washington National Cathedral. Among the tributes was one given by actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

Transcript

00:00When most of us think about environmental issues, we tend to dwell on destruction and loss.

00:07And I'll admit it's something I've always struggled with myself, but Jane led with hope. Always.

00:17She never lingered in despair. She focused on what could be done.

00:21She reminded us that change begins with compassion and that our humanity is our greatest tool.

00:30Yes, she could be clear-eyed, even blunt about the greed and relentless consumption of our species.

00:39But beneath that fierce honesty was an unwavering faith that every voice matters,

00:47that we are all connected to the living world, and that each of us can make a difference.

00:54Most people knew her as Jane Goodall, the icon, the legend.

01:00But the Jane I was fortunate enough to get to know was gentle, curious, funny, witty, and absolutely unstoppable.

01:09I was lucky enough to travel with her and witness how she moved through the world.

01:15Always curious, always patient, always connecting with people.

01:21Even in her later years, Jane spent more than 300 days on the road.

01:27An almost unimaginable schedule, yet she never seemed to tire.

01:32However, her resilience was fueled by purpose.

01:37Everywhere she went, she carried one simple, powerful message.

01:42That there is still hope.

01:44And that each one of us can make a difference.

01:47She was a scientist, a storyteller, a trailblazer, but above all, she was a teacher.

01:56And her legacy lives on in the millions she inspired, especially through Roots and Shoots,

02:03empowering young people everywhere to act for the planet.

02:06Her groundbreaking work in Tanzania forever changed how we understand chimpanzees,

02:15and in many ways, how we understand ourselves.

02:18But her love and advocacy reached far beyond that forest.

02:23It ignited an entire generation of environmentalists, including myself.

02:29One of my favorite memories is from the first time I took a photo with Jane.

02:35I looked straight into the camera, but when I looked to my left,

02:40Jane was looking directly at me instead.

02:43She told me that that's the way she preferred to take her photos.

02:47Because for her, it was never about the image itself.

02:51It was about that shared connection.

02:54And that small moment said everything to me about who she was.

02:58She was an enlightened homo sapien.

03:01May we all honor her by carrying forward that same fierce belief that we can do better,

03:07that we must do better, and that we have a responsibility to protect this beautiful natural world we all share.

03:15Jane often said,

03:18Every day that we live, we can make an impact on the planet.

03:21May ours be an impact of hope for her, for all living things, and for the generations to come.

03:32Thank you, Jane, for being everything you said you would be,

03:36and for spending your lifetime proving it to all of us.

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