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Our planet could be under pressure, yet a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to encourage individuals to make a difference.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will be given in memory of the esteemed scientist and conservationist who died this year. It is designed to celebrate those who champion our planet's biodiversity.

Award Details

The inaugural winners are expected to be announced at the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The idea of having this medal, and the festival being tasked with organising it, is Jane’s,” a representative said. “She expressed she would like for this to occur. And I think due to the close relationship she had with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight sustainable programmes carried out to make our world improved for people, animals and the environment and offer support for the continuation that work,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

One of the founders of Starmus noted that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – will likely encompass various fields.

“It will be inspired by the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication that we created a decade past,” he explained. Goodall herself received of that award.

Sharing thoughts about the future of the planet, one figure remarked, “Frankly, it's challenging to be optimistic. The current political climate globally represents a dismissal of evidence. So this undermines collective action.”

“Realistically, the prospects aren't very good so we have to begin to reconsidering, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. This concern encompasses not just climate change, that’s the whole way that we treat the natural world.”

A Call to Action

Consequently, observers believe this is a good time to honor her guiding principles. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit of Jane’s – which made her priority, to change how we regard fellow creatures around us.”

Another key issue today is the proliferation of disinformation. The theme of the upcoming Starmus festival will be “the search for truth”.

“There is a recognition that factual reality is becoming contested when politics is involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; you cannot allow interference from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration is that the medal will inspire action. “The purpose is motivating others to participate and to care and to strive toward these goals, truly. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we have to focus on working the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for failure, but you still have to work toward success.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection shared hope that “with guidance and once enabled, humanity are capable of being diligent stewards of Earth”, pointing to the work of an institute which, among its other activities, assists the next generation become engaged with their community, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often reminded us, our daily actions make a difference and it is up to us what type of impact we make,” he said. “It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and raise awareness regarding the positive actions currently in progress.”