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Earth might be under strain, yet there is hope. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to inspire people to make a difference.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will honor in honour of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It will recognise those who advocate for our planet's biodiversity.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are expected to be announced at the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from October 17th to 22nd next year.

According to statements that Jane Goodall, a former member of the festival's board, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The vision behind this award, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, is Jane’s,” a representative said. “She said she would like this to happen. And I think because of the very special connection she shared with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will recognize ongoing initiatives carried out to build an environment a better place for people, animals and the environment and provide encouragement to carry on that work,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

One of the founders of Starmus stated that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – would probably include several divisions.

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

Expressing concern on the outlook for Earth, a prominent voice said, “Honestly, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. Certain policies globally is conducting an assault on knowledge. So this really cripples collective action.”

“In truth, the situation appears particularly bright therefore we must begin to thinking again, much more seriously about the consequences of human activity. This concern encompasses not just global warming, that’s the entire manner that we treat the natural world.”

Inspiring Change

Consequently, observers believe it was an opportune moment to emulate Jane Goodall's legacy. “It is believed that when we’re awarding the prize, the focus will be on this essential spirit of Jane’s – which made her priority, to change the way we treat wildlife around us.”

A pressing concern currently is the proliferation of disinformation. The focus of next year’s Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that truth has become a matter of debate when politics are involved. This is a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “Climate research remains a scientific discipline; you cannot allow interference from politics in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The hope remains that this honor will spur positive change. “It focuses on inspiring individuals to get involved and to care and to strive toward these goals, really. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must focus on working our utmost,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still have to work toward success.”

A descendant involved in conservation work shared optimism that “with guidance and once enabled, humans are capable of being diligent stewards of Earth”, highlighting the initiatives of a foundation that, in addition to its projects, empowers the youth get involved locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall constantly reminded us, our daily actions are significant 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 provide inspiration and raise awareness regarding constructive efforts currently in progress.”