2013 Great Apes Summit

The Great Apes Summit, which was designed to spark debate and offer new perspectives on major great ape conservation issues, was staged September 21-24 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA. Over 600 delegates from around the world gathered to discuss topics such as extractive industries, captive concerns, agro-industrial expansion, illegal trade,eco-tourism, and technological advances in moderated panel sessions, while other presenters gave powerful examples of fieldwork from the frontlines. The Summit was co-organized by GRASP, the Arcus Foundation and the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, and attempted to reach the widest possible audience by streaming some sessions live via the web and posting highlights through daily internet newscasts anchored by British journalist Asha Tanna.

Among the featured speakers at the Great Apes Summit were GRASP Ambassadors
Jane Goodall, Richard Wrangham, and Russ Mittermeier, Google executive Michael T. Jones, and former U.S. Under-Secretary of State John Turner. A special evening screening of the DisneyNature film, “Chimpanzee,” was a standing-room only event.