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

Our planet might be under pressure, but a sense of hope remains. A new award originating at the science, music and arts festival Starmus will inspire the public to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal is to be awarded in memory of the esteemed British primatologist who died recently. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that champion life on Earth.

Award Details

Initial honorees will be revealed during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from 17–22 October the coming year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had supported the award’s creation. “The vision of having this award, and the festival being tasked with organising it, is Jane’s,” a statement said. “She said she would like for this to occur. This is likely because of the unique relationship she shared with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge ongoing initiatives carried out to make our world improved for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement for the continuation that work,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival stated that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – would probably encompass various fields.

“It will be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication established a decade past,” it was explained. Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Expressing concern on the outlook for Earth, a prominent voice stated, “Frankly, it's challenging to feel hopeful. Certain policies globally represents a dismissal of evidence. So this significantly hampers collective action.”

“To be honest, the situation appears particularly bright therefore we must really start thinking again, more deeply about the consequences of human activity. And that’s not only climate change, but also the whole way that we treat the natural world.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, it was noted this is a good time to honor Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this core philosophy that Jane embodied – which made her priority, to transform the way we treat the other animals around us.”

A major topic today involves the spread of disinformation. The theme of next year’s festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that factual reality has become a matter of debate where political interests are involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” he commented. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; you cannot allow interference by political agendas in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration remains that the medal will spur concrete steps. “It’s about inspiring individuals to get involved and to show concern and to work toward these goals, truly. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to look at working our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still have to work towards succeeding.”

A family member involved in conservation work expressed confidence that “with guidance and when empowered, humans can be conscientious guardians of Earth”, pointing to the initiatives of an institute that, among its other activities, assists the youth become engaged locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly emphasized, our daily actions make a difference and it is up to us what type of impact we make,” he said. “It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and increase understanding regarding the positive actions that are being undertaken.”