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The world is under strain, however there is hope. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival will inspire individuals to act.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name is to be awarded in honour of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who passed away recently. It will recognise those who advocate for life on Earth.

The Medal's Framework

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

It was shared that Jane Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had supported the medal's establishment. “The vision of having this medal, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She said she would like this to happen. This is likely because of the very special bond she shared with the festival.”

“This medal aims to highlight ongoing initiatives undertaken to create a planet a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support to carry on such efforts,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of the festival stated that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – would probably encompass various fields.

“It will be inspired by the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach that we created a decade past,” it was explained. Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts about the future for Earth, one figure said, “Honestly, it is difficult to maintain optimism. Certain policies in one major nation represents a dismissal of evidence. So this really cripples collective action.”

“In truth, things don’t look very good which means we need to really start reconsidering, much more seriously about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not only climate change, that’s the whole way in which we interact with the natural world.”

A Call to Action

As a result, it was noted this is an opportune moment to emulate her guiding principles. “I think that when we’re awarding the prize, we will be considering this essential spirit that Jane embodied – that was her priority, to change our relationship with fellow creatures with which we share the planet.”

A major topic at present is the proliferation of disinformation. The central topic of the upcoming Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that truth has become a matter of debate where political interests are involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; you cannot have any influence from politics in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal remains that the medal can motivate concrete steps. “It’s about encouraging people to get involved and to care and to strive in that direction, truly. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we must focus on working all that is possible,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of failure, but you still continue striving toward success.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection shared hope that “with guidance and once enabled, humanity can be conscientious guardians of our planet”, highlighting the work of a foundation that, in addition to its projects, empowers the next generation become engaged locally, animals, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall constantly told everyone, our daily actions have an impact and it is up to us the kind of difference we choose to create,” he said. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and raise awareness regarding the positive actions currently in progress.”