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The world could be under pressure, however there is hope. A novel accolade originating at the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival aims to inspire people to take action.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal is to be awarded in honour of the renowned British primatologist who died this year. It seeks to acknowledge those who protect the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

The first recipients are slated for announcement during the Starmus VIII festival in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

Reports indicate that Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had backed the award’s creation. “The vision of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “She said she would like for this to occur. This is likely due to the close relationship 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 foster motivation to carry on that work,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

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

“The intent is for it to be modeled after the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach that we created 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 said, “To be truthful, it is difficult to feel hopeful. Certain policies globally represents an assault on knowledge. This situation undermines the world’s efforts.”

“To be honest, things don’t look particularly bright therefore we must really start reconsidering, with greater urgency regarding the impact of human activity. And that’s not only climate change, but also the whole way in which we interact with the natural world.”

Following an Example

As a result, observers believe this is an opportune moment to follow Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that in bestowing this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to transform how we regard wildlife with which we share the planet.”

A pressing concern today was highlighted of false information. The central topic of the upcoming Starmus festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that truth has become a matter of debate when politics are involved. This is a perilous development,” he commented. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; you cannot have any influence from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The goal remains that the medal can motivate concrete steps. “The purpose is encouraging people to engage and to show concern and to strive in that direction, really. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to look at doing the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of failure, yet we must continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member engaged in conservation work shared optimism that “with guidance and once enabled, people can be responsible caretakers of our planet”, highlighting the programs of an institute which, among its other activities, assists the youth get involved with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly reminded us, our daily actions make a difference and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and increase understanding regarding the positive actions that people are making.”