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Our planet could be under pressure, however optimism persists. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to inspire people to take action.

The medal will be given in memory of the celebrated British primatologist who passed away this year. It is designed to celebrate individuals and groups that advocate for our planet's biodiversity.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are slated for announcement during the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, which will run from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had backed the award’s creation. “The idea behind this award, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She said that she wanted this to happen. And I think due to the close connection she shared with us.”

“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 foster motivation to continue that work,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus indicated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – would probably have multiple categories.

“It’s going to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach established a decade past,” he explained. Goodall was a recipient of that very medal.

Expressing concern on the outlook of the planet, a prominent voice said, “To be truthful, it is difficult to feel hopeful. The current political climate in one major nation is conducting a dismissal of evidence. So this undermines collective action.”

“In truth, the prospects aren't particularly bright which means we need to commence reflecting, with greater urgency regarding the impact of our actions. And that’s not just climate change, but also the entire manner that we treat our environment.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, it was noted it was a good time to follow her guiding principles. “I think that when we’re awarding the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to change our relationship with wildlife around us.”

Another key issue currently was highlighted of disinformation. The focus of the upcoming festival will be “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that factual reality is becoming a subject of discussion when politics are involved. And it’s a perilous development,” he commented. “The science of climate remains a scientific discipline; you cannot have any influence from politics in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The aspiration is that the medal can motivate positive change. “It’s about encouraging people to get involved and to care and to work toward these goals, truly. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we must look at working the best we can,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of failure, but you still have to work to achieve positive outcomes.”

A descendant involved in conservation work expressed hope that “with guidance and when empowered, people are capable of being responsible caretakers of our planet”, highlighting the work of a foundation that, among its other activities, assists the youth become engaged locally, animals, and environment.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly told everyone, our daily actions have an impact 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 give encouragement and increase understanding about constructive efforts that people are making.”