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

The world could be under strain, but optimism persists. A new award originating at the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival aims to encourage individuals to take action.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will honor in honour of the renowned scientist and conservationist who died this year. It seeks to acknowledge those who protect life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

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

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had backed the award’s creation. “The vision of having this medal, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, is Jane’s,” a representative said. “She said that she wanted for this to occur. This is likely due to the unique connection she had with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge enduring projects carried out to create a planet a better place for people, animals and the environment and provide encouragement to continue that work,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival noted that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – will likely include several divisions.

“It’s going to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach established a decade past,” he explained. Jane Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Expressing concern on the outlook for Earth, a prominent voice stated, “To be truthful, it's challenging to maintain optimism. Present governance globally is conducting an assault on knowledge. This situation undermines the world’s efforts.”

“In truth, the prospects aren't particularly bright therefore we must begin to reconsidering, much more seriously about the consequences of our actions. This concern encompasses not only global warming, but also the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, it was noted it was a good time to follow her guiding principles. “It is believed that in bestowing this medal, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – which made her priority, to transform how we regard wildlife around us.”

A major topic at present is the proliferation of false information. The focus of next year’s festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that factual reality is becoming a matter of debate where political interests are involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “The science of climate is a science; you cannot allow interference from politics in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal remains that this honor will inspire positive change. “It focuses on inspiring individuals to engage and to care and to work toward these goals, truly. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we have to focus on doing our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for failure, but you still have to work toward success.”

A descendant engaged in conservation work shared optimism that “given direction and when empowered, humans can be responsible caretakers of our planet”, citing the work of an institute which, among its other activities, assists young people get involved with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often emphasized, our daily actions make a difference and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we choose to create,” he said. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and increase understanding about constructive efforts that are being undertaken.”