This international effort aims to familiarize as many people as possible with the history of the passenger pigeon and its extinction; raise awareness of how the issue of extinction is ecologically, culturally, and morally relevant to the 21st Century; encourage and support respectful relationships with other species; motivate people to take actions to prevent human-caused extinction, and to promote biodiversity through habitat preservation and restoration, captive breeding programs, government initiatives, and other measures. Perhaps most importantly, we hope to inspire people to think about their own role within the larger biotic community and to develop curiosity and wonder for the complexity, mystery, and uniqueness of the species we share the planet with.
These goals will be accomplished through a wide range of activities in four main categories: educational materials, exhibitions, public events, and citizen engagement. Each of these categories will present the history of the passenger pigeon in a way that encourages hope, and will draw parallels with contemporary issues to promote action towards a sustainable future for today's species.