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The world could be under pressure, but a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor originating at the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to encourage individuals to make a difference.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will honor in honour of the celebrated British primatologist who died recently. It seeks to acknowledge those who protect the natural world.

Award Details

Initial honorees will be revealed during the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from 17–22 October next year.

It was shared that Goodall, a former member of the festival's board, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The idea of having this award, and the festival being tasked with organising it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “She expressed that she wanted this to happen. And I think due to the close bond she shared with us.”

“This medal aims to highlight ongoing initiatives undertaken to build an environment a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement to continue such efforts,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival indicated that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – would probably include several divisions.

“It’s going to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award for science communication established a decade past,” he explained. Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, a prominent voice stated, “Honestly, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. The current political climate globally represents an assault on knowledge. This situation significantly hampers global initiatives.”

“To be honest, the situation appears very good which means we need to commence reflecting, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. And that’s not just global warming, that’s the entire manner that we treat the natural world.”

A Call to Action

Consequently, observers believe it was an opportune moment to emulate Goodall’s example. “I think that when we’re awarding the prize, we will be considering this core philosophy of Jane’s – which made her foremost concern, to change our relationship with the other animals with which we share the planet.”

A pressing concern currently was highlighted of misinformation. The focus of next year’s Starmus festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that truth is becoming contested when politics are involved. This is an alarming trend,” he commented. “Climate research remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to have any influence by political agendas in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration is that the medal will inspire positive change. “It focuses on encouraging people to participate and to show concern and to strive in that direction, really. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must look at working the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of failure, but you still have to work toward success.”

A family member involved in conservation work expressed confidence that “with guidance and when empowered, humans are capable of being responsible caretakers of our planet”, pointing to the work of a foundation that, in addition to its projects, assists the next generation become engaged with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As my late grandmother often told everyone, the choices we make each day make a difference and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we choose to create,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will give encouragement and increase understanding regarding beneficial initiatives that are being undertaken.”