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Earth might be under pressure, however optimism persists. A fresh honor originating at the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival seeks to encourage individuals to act.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will be given in honour of the renowned scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It seeks to acknowledge those who protect our planet's biodiversity.

Award Details

The first recipients are slated for announcement during the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, scheduled from 17–22 October the coming year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The concept of having this award, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “She expressed she would like this to happen. And I think because of the close relationship she had with the festival.”

“This medal will acknowledge ongoing initiatives carried out to create a planet improved for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support to carry on that work,” 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 encompass various fields.

“It will be inspired by the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach that we created exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Jane Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook for Earth, a prominent voice said, “Honestly, it’s very hard to be optimistic. The current political climate globally is conducting an assault on knowledge. So this significantly hampers the world’s efforts.”

“To be honest, the prospects aren't very good therefore we must begin to reconsidering, more deeply about the consequences of human activity. And that’s not just climate change, that’s the entire manner in which we interact with our environment.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, it was noted this is an opportune moment to honor her guiding principles. “It is believed that when we’re awarding the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her priority, to change how we regard wildlife around us.”

Another key issue currently involves the spread of misinformation. The central topic of next year’s Starmus festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“We realised that truth has become a matter of debate when politics are involved. And it’s a perilous development,” it was said. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; you cannot allow interference by political agendas in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal remains that this honor will spur positive change. “It focuses on inspiring individuals to participate and to show concern and to work toward these goals, really. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we have to look at working the best we can,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still have to work towards succeeding.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection shared hope that “with guidance and when empowered, humans can be responsible caretakers of our planet”, highlighting the programs of an institute which, among its other activities, helps the next generation become engaged with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As my late grandmother constantly told everyone, the choices we make each day have an impact and it is up to us what type of impact we choose to create,” he said. “It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and raise awareness regarding constructive efforts that people are making.”