Dr. Jane Goodall and Professor Choi Jaecheon Deliver Ecological and Peace Messages in the Demilitarized Zone

Dr. Jane Goodall and Professor Choi Jaecheon are talking with participants at the 'Roots and Sprouts DMZ Ecological Peace Declaration' held on the 8th at Jangsan Observatory in Paju.

World-renowned zoologist and environmental activist Dr. Jane Goodall and Professor Choi Jaecheon delivered ecological and peace messages near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the 70th anniversary of the armistice.

The Gyeonggi-do DMZ Open Festival organizing committee announced that the 'Roots and Sprouts DMZ Ecological Peace Declaration' took place on the 8th at Jangsan Observatory in Paju.

Dr. Jane Goodall, a UN Peace Ambassador, is a world-renowned zoologist and environmental activist famous for over 60 years of chimpanzee research, wildlife conservation, and improving animal welfare including chimpanzees.

Professor Choi Jaecheon, a distinguished professor at Ewha Womans University, is a leading Korean biologist and animal behavior researcher.

About 50 members of the international grassroots environmental movement 'Roots and Sprouts' participated in the event, engaging in dialogue and activities to promote the global values of ecological peace.

The 'Roots and Sprouts' members drafted a declaration containing their practical activities for ecology and peace in daily life and presented it to Dr. Jane Goodall.

A total of 12 teams participated in the dialogue, with the number 12 symbolizing the original 12 people who gathered when Jane Goodall first established 'Roots and Sprouts' in Tanzania.

Dr. Jane Goodall and Professor Choi Jaecheon expressed their sympathy for these activities and emphasized the importance of ecological and peace values.

Since 1991, Dr. Jane Goodall has founded the international grassroots environmental movement group called 'Roots and Sprouts,' visiting countries worldwide and meeting members to convey messages of ecology and peace. Currently, over 8,000 related subgroups are active in about 140 countries.

Participants also performed a ceremony at Jangsan Observatory, releasing a large cloth dove symbolizing peace with a message praying for ecological peace on the Korean Peninsula. Additionally, they raised awareness of the DMZ’s wildlife protection value through a procession stomping the ground in rhythm with drumbeats symbolizing the footsteps of top wild predators.

Professor Choi Jaecheon, chairman of the DMZ Open Festival organizing committee, said, "The DMZ is a precious asset of humanity with rich biodiversity," and added, "I hope the DMZ Open Festival will be an opportunity to convey and share the diverse ecological, peace, and cultural values of the DMZ."

Dr. Jane Goodall stated, "Walking near the DMZ, I saw old bunkers buried in the bushes. Once again, I felt the great resilience of nature," and expressed her sincere hope that "the Korean Peninsula will recover to a peaceful state like nature and that the day will come when we can meet people from the North at the DMZ."

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