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The world is under strain, yet there is hope. A fresh honor originating at the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival will encourage individuals to act.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will be given in honour of the celebrated British primatologist who passed away this year. It seeks to acknowledge those who champion our planet's biodiversity.

The Medal's Framework

The first recipients will be revealed at the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, which will run from 17–22 October next year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had backed the medal's establishment. “The vision of having this award, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a statement said. “Her desire was she would like for this to occur. This is likely due to the unique bond she had with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge sustainable programmes carried out to create a planet improved for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support to continue such efforts,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

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

“It will be inspired by the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication established exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, one figure stated, “Frankly, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. Present governance in one major nation is conducting a war on science. So this significantly hampers global initiatives.”

“To be honest, things don’t look particularly bright which means we need to begin to reconsidering, more deeply regarding the impact of human activity. And that’s not only global warming, but also the entire manner that we treat the natural world.”

Inspiring Change

Therefore, observers believe this is an opportune moment to follow Jane Goodall's legacy. “It is believed that in bestowing the prize, we will be considering this core philosophy of Jane’s – which made her priority, to transform how we regard fellow creatures with which we share the planet.”

Another key issue today involves the spread of false information. The theme of the upcoming festival will be “the search for truth”.

“We realised that truth has become a subject of discussion when politics is involved. And it’s a perilous development,” he commented. “The science of climate remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to allow interference by political agendas in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The hope remains that the medal will spur concrete steps. “The purpose is motivating others to get involved and to care and to strive in that direction, really. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we must look at doing all that is possible,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, yet we must continue striving toward success.”

A family member engaged in conservation work expressed hope that “given direction and once enabled, humans can be conscientious guardians of our planet”, highlighting the initiatives of an institute that, among its other activities, helps young people become engaged locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall repeatedly told everyone, the choices we make each day have an impact and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” it was stated. “It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and increase understanding about beneficial initiatives that are being undertaken.”