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Our planet is under pressure, however a sense of hope remains. A new award from the science, music and arts festival Starmus seeks to inspire people to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will be given in memory of the celebrated British primatologist who passed away this year. It seeks to acknowledge those who advocate for the natural world.

Award Details

Initial honorees will be revealed at the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

It was shared that Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The idea of having this medal, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “Her desire was that she wanted this to happen. And I think due to the close bond she shared with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight enduring projects undertaken to create a planet improved for people, animals and the environment and offer support to carry on such efforts,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of Starmus noted that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – would probably have multiple categories.

“It’s going to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach that we created exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Expressing concern about the future of the planet, a prominent voice said, “Honestly, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. Present governance globally is conducting a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples collective action.”

“In truth, the prospects aren't very good therefore we must commence reconsidering, with greater urgency regarding the impact of our actions. This concern encompasses not just global warming, that’s the entire manner that we treat our environment.”

A Call to Action

Consequently, it was noted it was a good time to honor Goodall’s example. “I think that in bestowing the prize, the focus will be on this essential spirit of Jane’s – that was her priority, to change the way we treat fellow creatures around us.”

Another key issue currently is the proliferation of misinformation. The theme of next year’s Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that factual reality has become contested when politics is involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” he commented. “Climate research remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal is that this honor will spur concrete steps. “The purpose is motivating others to engage and to show concern and to work toward these goals, really. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we have to look at working all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, but you still continue striving towards succeeding.”

A family member involved in conservation work shared confidence that “given direction and once enabled, humans can be conscientious guardians of our planet”, pointing to the work of an institute which, in addition to its projects, helps young people get involved with their community, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly reminded us, our daily actions make a difference and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we make,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will offer support and raise awareness regarding beneficial initiatives that are being undertaken.”