Goodall to be Tournament of Roses GM

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PASADENA, Calif., April 25 (UPI) -- Famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall is to serve as grand marshal of the 2013 Tournament of Roses festivities in Pasadena, Calif., organizers said.

The founder of the Jane Goodall Institute is a well-known conservationist and a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

On New Year's Day, she will ride in the 124th Rose Parade presented by Honda and themed "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" She will then toss the coin before the 99th Rose Bowl Game.

"We selected our theme, 'Oh, the Places You'll Go!' with Dr. Goodall in mind as grand marshal," Tournament of Roses President Sally Bixby said in a statement Wednesday. "The theme can be interpreted as a celebration of accomplishment, discovery and travel of course, but equally valid is its implicit call to action. We think Dr. Goodall's life story is a testament to the sense of adventure and openness to possibility that this phrase suggests: As a young woman, she defied convention to follow her dreams, and she has committed herself to a life of global citizenship, inspiring children and adults alike along the way. 2013 will be the 53rd anniversary of her field study of the Gombe chimpanzees. I can think of no one whose life has better exemplified our theme and message than Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall is now an international icon, but it is her passion for discovery and how she has used her celebrity for the betterment of the world that has drawn us to her."