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Earth might be under pressure, yet optimism persists. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to inspire individuals to take action.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will honor in memory of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It will recognise individuals and groups that advocate for life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are slated for announcement at the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from 17–22 October the coming year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had backed the medal's establishment. “The vision behind this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a statement said. “Her desire was she would like for this to occur. And I think because of the unique relationship she had with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge enduring projects undertaken to create a planet a better place for people, animals and the environment and provide encouragement to carry on that work,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

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

“It will be modeled after the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication that we created exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Jane Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook for Earth, one figure said, “Honestly, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. The current political climate in one major nation represents an assault on knowledge. So this undermines global initiatives.”

“Realistically, the prospects aren't particularly bright therefore we must commence thinking again, with greater urgency regarding the impact of our actions. This concern encompasses not just climate change, that’s the whole way that we treat nature.”

Following an Example

As a result, observers believe this is an opportune moment to honor Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to transform our relationship with the other animals around us.”

Another key issue today is the proliferation of false information. The focus of next year’s festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that factual reality is becoming a subject of discussion where political interests are involved. This is a perilous development,” it was said. “The climate science is a science; it is impossible to allow interference by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration remains that this honor will inspire action. “It’s about motivating others to participate and to show concern and to work in that direction, truly. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to look at working our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must continue striving toward success.”

A family member involved in environmental protection expressed confidence that “given direction and once enabled, humans can be conscientious guardians of Earth”, pointing to the work of an institute which, among its other activities, empowers young people get involved locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall constantly emphasized, our daily actions make a difference and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we choose to create,” it was stated. “There is still time and this medal will give encouragement and increase understanding about the positive actions currently in progress.”