🔗 Share this article

Earth might be under pressure, however optimism persists. A new award originating at the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to encourage individuals to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will be given in honour of the esteemed scientist and conservationist who passed away recently. It will recognise those who advocate for life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are expected to be announced at the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, scheduled from 17–22 October the coming year.

It was shared that Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had supported the medal's establishment. “The concept of having this medal, and the festival being tasked with organising it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She expressed she would like for this to occur. This is likely due to the very special relationship she had with us.”

“This medal aims to highlight sustainable programmes carried out to create a planet a better place for people, animals and the environment and offer support to continue that work,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

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

“It will be modeled after the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach established exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Expressing concern on the outlook of the planet, one figure stated, “Frankly, it's challenging to be optimistic. The current political climate in one major nation represents an assault on knowledge. This situation really cripples the world’s efforts.”

“In truth, the situation appears very good which means we need to commence reflecting, much more seriously about the consequences of human activity. And that’s not only global warming, that’s the entire manner that we treat our environment.”

Inspiring Change

Therefore, observers believe it was a good time to emulate Goodall’s example. “I think that when we’re awarding the prize, we will be considering this essential spirit of Jane’s – that was her priority, to change how we regard wildlife with which we share the planet.”

A major topic currently is the proliferation of misinformation. The central topic of next year’s festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that truth has become a subject of discussion where political interests is involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” he commented. “The climate science is a science; it is impossible to have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration is that this honor can motivate action. “It focuses on motivating others to engage and to show concern and to work toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to focus on working all that is possible,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still have to work towards succeeding.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection expressed hope that “given direction and when empowered, people can be responsible caretakers of Earth”, highlighting the programs of an institute which, in addition to its projects, empowers the youth get involved locally, animals, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall often told everyone, the choices we make each day are significant 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 offer support and raise awareness regarding constructive efforts currently in progress.”