A Starmus Earth Medal in Honor of Jane Goodall to Recognise Those Working to Improve the Planet.

Our planet might be under strain, however optimism persists. A new award from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to encourage people to take action.

The medal is to be awarded in memory of the esteemed scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It will recognise individuals and groups that advocate for our planet's biodiversity.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners are slated for announcement at the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd next year.

According to statements that Jane Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had endorsed the medal's establishment. “The idea behind this award, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, is Jane’s,” a representative said. “Her desire was that she wanted this to happen. This is likely due to the unique bond she had with the festival.”

“This medal aims to highlight enduring projects carried out to build an environment improved for all living beings and ecosystems and foster motivation for the continuation such efforts,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

One of the founders of the festival stated that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – will likely have multiple categories.

“It’s going to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award for science communication established a decade past,” it was explained. Goodall was a recipient of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook for Earth, one figure stated, “To be truthful, it is difficult to feel hopeful. Present governance globally is conducting a war on science. This situation undermines the world’s efforts.”

“To be honest, the prospects aren't very good which means we need to commence reconsidering, much more seriously about the consequences of human activity. And that’s not just climate change, but also the entire manner in which we interact with the natural world.”

Inspiring Change

Consequently, observers believe it was a good time to emulate Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that in bestowing this medal, the focus will be on this core philosophy that Jane embodied – that was her foremost concern, to change our relationship with fellow creatures with which we share the planet.”

A pressing concern currently is the proliferation of misinformation. The central topic of next year’s festival will be “the search for truth”.

“We realised that truth has become a matter of debate where political interests are involved. This is an alarming trend,” it was said. “The science of climate is a science; you cannot allow interference by political agendas in this field.”

Optimism and Resolve

The hope is that this honor can motivate concrete steps. “It’s about encouraging people to participate and to care and to work toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we have to look at working the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must have to work towards succeeding.”

A family member involved in environmental protection shared confidence that “with guidance and when empowered, people can be diligent stewards of our planet”, highlighting the initiatives of a foundation which, among its other activities, helps the youth become engaged with their community, animals, and environment.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly emphasized, our daily actions have an impact and it is up to us what type of impact we choose to create,” he said. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will provide inspiration and increase understanding about constructive efforts that are being undertaken.”