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Earth is under pressure, however there is hope. A new award from the science, music and arts festival Starmus will inspire individuals to make a difference.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will be given in honour of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who died recently. It seeks to acknowledge 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, which will run from 17–22 October the coming year.

It was shared that Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the medal's establishment. “The idea behind this medal, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, is Jane’s,” a statement said. “She expressed she would like this to happen. This is likely due to the close connection she shared with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight sustainable programmes carried out to build an environment a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement to continue that work,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival indicated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – will likely have multiple categories.

“The intent is for it to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach established a decade past,” it was explained. Jane Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts about the future of the planet, a prominent voice stated, “To be truthful, it is difficult to maintain optimism. Present governance globally represents a dismissal of evidence. So this significantly hampers the world’s efforts.”

“In truth, the prospects aren't very good therefore we must begin to reconsidering, with greater urgency about the consequences of our actions. This concern encompasses not just climate change, but also the entire manner in which we interact with nature.”

Following an Example

Therefore, observers believe it was a good time to emulate her guiding principles. “I think that in bestowing the prize, we will be considering this essential spirit that Jane embodied – which made her foremost concern, to transform our relationship with wildlife around us.”

A major topic currently involves the spread of misinformation. The focus of next year’s Starmus festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that factual reality has become a subject of discussion where political interests are involved. This is an alarming trend,” it was said. “Climate research is a science; you cannot allow interference by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration is that this honor can motivate positive change. “The purpose is motivating others to participate and to show concern and to work in that direction, really. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we have to focus on doing our utmost,” it was added. “Be prepared for failure, but you still have to work toward success.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection shared hope that “given direction and when empowered, humans can be diligent stewards of our planet”, highlighting the initiatives of an institute which, among its other activities, empowers the next generation get involved with their community, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly told everyone, our daily actions make a difference and it is up to us what type of impact we choose to create,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will provide inspiration and increase understanding regarding beneficial initiatives that people are making.”