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Our planet is facing challenges, yet optimism persists. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival will motivate the public to make a difference.

The medal is to be awarded to pay tribute to the celebrated scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It will recognise those who protect the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

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

Reports indicate that Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The concept 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. And I think due to the close bond she shared with the festival.”

“This medal aims to highlight ongoing initiatives undertaken to build an environment improved for people, animals and the environment and foster motivation to continue such efforts,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus indicated that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – would probably 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. Goodall was a recipient of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts about the future for Earth, a prominent voice said, “To be truthful, it's challenging to feel hopeful. Certain policies globally represents a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples global initiatives.”

“Realistically, the situation appears particularly bright therefore we must really start reflecting, more deeply about the consequences of human activity. This concern encompasses not only global warming, but also the whole way that we treat our environment.”

A Call to Action

As a result, it was noted it was an opportune moment to follow her guiding principles. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this core philosophy that Jane embodied – which made her foremost concern, to transform the way we treat wildlife around us.”

A major topic at present is the proliferation of disinformation. The central topic of next year’s festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that truth has become a subject of discussion when politics are involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; you cannot allow interference from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The hope is that this honor can motivate positive change. “It focuses on motivating others to participate and to show concern and to work toward these goals, truly. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we have to look at working our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for failure, yet we must continue striving towards succeeding.”

A family member engaged in conservation work shared optimism that “with guidance and when empowered, people can be diligent stewards of our planet”, highlighting the work of a foundation that, among its other activities, empowers the youth get involved locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall often emphasized, 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. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and raise awareness about the positive actions that people are making.”