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Our planet could be under strain, yet a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to motivate individuals to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal is to be awarded to pay tribute to the esteemed scientist and conservationist who passed away recently. It will recognise those who advocate for life on Earth.

The Medal's Framework

Initial honorees are expected to be announced during the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd next year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had backed the medal's establishment. “The idea behind this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “Her desire was she would like for this to occur. This is likely due to the very special bond she had with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge sustainable programmes carried out to make our world improved for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support to carry on such efforts,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

One of the founders of Starmus indicated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – will likely encompass various fields.

“It will be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach that we created exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Goodall was an honoree of that award.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, one figure stated, “Honestly, it is difficult to feel hopeful. The current political climate globally represents a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples the world’s efforts.”

“Realistically, the prospects aren't very good therefore we must begin to reflecting, much more seriously about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not only global warming, but also the whole way that we treat nature.”

A Call to Action

As a result, observers believe it was an opportune moment to emulate Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that in bestowing this medal, the focus will be on this essential spirit that Jane embodied – that was her foremost concern, to change how we regard fellow creatures around us.”

A major topic currently involves the spread of misinformation. The focus of the upcoming festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“We realised that factual reality is becoming a subject of discussion when politics is involved. And it’s a perilous development,” it was said. “Climate research remains a scientific discipline; you cannot allow interference from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The hope is that the medal can motivate positive change. “It focuses on motivating others to participate and to care and to work toward these goals, truly. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we have to focus on doing all that is possible,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of failure, but you still have to work towards succeeding.”

A descendant engaged in conservation work shared hope that “with guidance and once enabled, humans can be conscientious guardians of Earth”, highlighting the initiatives of an institute which, in addition to its projects, helps young people become engaged locally, animals, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall constantly emphasized, the choices we make each day make a difference and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we make,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and raise awareness regarding beneficial initiatives that are being undertaken.”