The Starmus Earth Medal in Honor of Jane Goodall Will Honor Individuals Acting to Improve the Planet.

Our planet could be under pressure, yet a sense of hope remains. A new award from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival will motivate individuals to make a difference.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will be given to pay tribute to the celebrated scientist and conservationist who died this year. It is designed to celebrate those who advocate for the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners are slated for announcement during the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from 17–22 October next year.

It was shared that Goodall, a former member of the festival's board, had endorsed the medal's establishment. “The vision behind this award, and the festival being tasked with organising it, is Jane’s,” a statement said. “She expressed that she wanted for this to occur. And I think because of the unique connection she had with the festival.”

“This medal will acknowledge ongoing initiatives carried out to create a planet a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support to continue that work,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus stated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – will likely have multiple categories.

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

Sharing thoughts about the future for Earth, a prominent voice remarked, “Honestly, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. Present governance globally is conducting a war on science. So this really cripples global initiatives.”

“To be honest, things don’t look very good so we have to begin to reconsidering, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. And that’s not just global warming, but also the whole way that we treat the natural world.”

Following an Example

Therefore, it was noted it was a good time to follow her guiding principles. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit that Jane embodied – which made her foremost concern, to transform how we regard fellow creatures around us.”

A pressing concern today is the proliferation of false information. The focus of the upcoming festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that truth is becoming a subject of discussion where political interests is involved. This is a very dangerous thing,” it was said. “Climate research remains a scientific discipline; you cannot have any influence from politics in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal remains that this honor can motivate action. “The purpose is motivating others to engage and to show concern and to work in that direction, truly. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we have to look at working all that is possible,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of failure, but you still have to work towards succeeding.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection shared optimism that “given direction and once enabled, people can be conscientious guardians of Earth”, pointing to the programs of an institute which, in addition to its projects, assists the youth get involved locally, animals, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother constantly told everyone, the choices we make each day make a difference and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we choose to create,” it was stated. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and increase understanding regarding constructive efforts that are being undertaken.”