🔗 Share this article

Earth could be under pressure, yet optimism persists. A novel accolade from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to motivate people to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal is to be awarded in honour of the esteemed scientist and conservationist who died recently. It will recognise those who advocate for life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees will be revealed during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from 17–22 October next year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had backed the medal's establishment. “The vision behind this medal, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She said she would like for this to occur. This is likely because of the close relationship she shared with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge sustainable programmes carried out to build an environment a better place for people, animals and the environment and foster motivation for the continuation such efforts,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

One of the founders of the festival stated that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – will likely include several divisions.

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

Expressing concern about the future for Earth, a prominent voice remarked, “Frankly, it is difficult to maintain optimism. The current political climate globally represents a dismissal of evidence. This situation significantly hampers global initiatives.”

“Realistically, the situation appears very good therefore we must begin to thinking again, much more seriously about the consequences of our actions. This concern encompasses not just global warming, but also the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”

A Call to Action

As a result, it was noted it was an opportune moment to follow her guiding principles. “It is believed that in bestowing the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – which made her priority, to transform how we regard the other animals with which we share the planet.”

A major topic currently was highlighted of disinformation. The central topic of the upcoming Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“We realised that truth is becoming a matter of debate when politics are involved. This is a very dangerous thing,” it was said. “The science of climate is a science; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The aspiration is that this honor can motivate positive change. “It’s about inspiring individuals to participate and to care and to work in that direction, truly. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must look at doing the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, but you still have to work to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member engaged in environmental protection shared confidence that “with guidance and when empowered, people can be diligent stewards of Earth”, citing the work of an institute that, among its other activities, empowers the next generation get involved with their community, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often reminded us, our daily actions are significant and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we make,” he said. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will provide inspiration and raise awareness about beneficial initiatives that are being undertaken.”