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Earth is under strain, yet a sense of hope remains. A new award from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to inspire people to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal is to be awarded to pay tribute to the renowned British primatologist who passed away this year. It will recognise those who champion our planet's biodiversity.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners are expected to be announced during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had backed the medal's establishment. “The idea of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She expressed she would like for this to occur. This is likely due to the very special bond she had with us.”

“This medal will acknowledge ongoing initiatives carried out to build an environment a better place for people, animals and the environment and foster motivation to continue that work,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus indicated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – will likely encompass various fields.

“The intent is for it to be modeled after the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication that we created a decade past,” it was explained. Jane Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Expressing concern on the outlook for Earth, one figure said, “Frankly, it’s very hard to be optimistic. Certain policies in one major nation represents a dismissal of evidence. So this undermines the world’s efforts.”

“To be honest, things don’t look particularly bright which means we need to commence reflecting, with greater urgency regarding the impact of human activity. And that’s not just global warming, but also the whole way that we treat our environment.”

Following an Example

Consequently, it was noted this is a good time to emulate Jane Goodall's legacy. “It is believed that in bestowing the prize, we will be considering this core philosophy of Jane’s – which made her priority, to change how we regard fellow creatures with which we share the planet.”

Another key issue currently is the proliferation of disinformation. The theme of the upcoming Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that truth is becoming a matter of debate when politics are involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” it was said. “The climate science is a science; it is impossible to allow interference by political agendas in this field.”

Optimism and Resolve

The hope remains that this honor can motivate positive change. “It focuses on motivating others to get involved and to show concern and to work toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we have to focus on doing our utmost,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of failure, yet we must continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member involved in environmental protection expressed confidence that “given direction and once enabled, humans can be conscientious guardians of our planet”, pointing to the programs of an institute that, among its other activities, helps the youth get involved with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall constantly told everyone, our daily actions make a difference and it is up to us the kind of difference we choose to create,” he said. “It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will provide inspiration and raise awareness about the positive actions that people are making.”