A Starmus Earth Medal in Honor of Jane Goodall Will Celebrate Those Striving to Improve the Planet.

The world is under strain, yet a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival aims to inspire the public to take action.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will be given to pay tribute to the celebrated scientist and conservationist who died recently. It seeks to acknowledge those who advocate for the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners are slated for announcement during the Starmus VIII festival in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from 17–22 October the coming year.

Reports indicate that Goodall, a former member of the festival's board, had supported the award’s creation. “The concept of having this medal, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “Her desire was that she wanted this to happen. And I think due to the close relationship she had with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will recognize enduring projects carried out to make our world a better place for people, animals and the environment and offer support for the continuation that work,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival indicated that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – will likely encompass various fields.

“The intent is for it to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication established exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Expressing concern about the future of the planet, one figure remarked, “Honestly, it is difficult to maintain optimism. Certain policies in one major nation is conducting an assault on knowledge. This situation undermines global initiatives.”

“To be honest, the situation appears particularly bright which means we need to begin to reconsidering, much more seriously about the consequences of human activity. This concern encompasses not just climate change, but also the whole way that we treat the natural world.”

Following an Example

As a result, observers believe this is a good time to follow Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that in bestowing the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy that Jane embodied – that was her priority, to transform the way we treat wildlife around us.”

A major topic today involves the spread of disinformation. The focus of next year’s Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that truth is becoming contested where political interests are involved. This is an alarming trend,” it was said. “The climate science is a science; you cannot allow interference from politics in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The hope is that this honor will inspire concrete steps. “It’s about motivating others to engage and to show concern and to work in that direction, truly. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we must focus on doing the best we can,” it was added. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must have to work to achieve positive outcomes.”

A descendant engaged in environmental protection shared optimism that “given direction and once enabled, humans can be conscientious guardians of Earth”, pointing to the work of a foundation that, among its other activities, assists young people become engaged with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall constantly emphasized, the choices we make each day have an impact and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we make,” he said. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will provide inspiration and increase understanding regarding beneficial initiatives that are being undertaken.”