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Earth could be under pressure, however a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor originating at the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival seeks to inspire people to act.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name is to be awarded in honour of the renowned scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that advocate for life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners are expected to be announced at the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, which will run from 17–22 October next year.

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

“This medal will recognize enduring projects undertaken to create a planet a better place for people, animals and the environment and provide encouragement for the continuation that work,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of Starmus stated that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – would probably include several divisions.

“It’s going to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach established exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Goodall was a recipient of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts about the future for Earth, a prominent voice remarked, “Frankly, it's challenging to be optimistic. Certain policies globally represents a war on science. This situation really cripples global initiatives.”

“In truth, things don’t look very good so we have to begin to reflecting, much more seriously regarding the impact of human activity. This concern encompasses not only global warming, but also the whole way that we treat our environment.”

Following an Example

Therefore, observers believe this is a good time to honor her guiding principles. “It is believed that in bestowing the prize, we will be considering this essential spirit that Jane embodied – that was her priority, to transform our relationship with fellow creatures with which we share the planet.”

A major topic today involves the spread of false information. The focus of the upcoming festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that truth is becoming a subject of discussion when politics is involved. And it’s a perilous development,” it was said. “The climate science is a science; you cannot have any influence from politics in this field.”

Optimism and Resolve

The aspiration remains that this honor will spur positive change. “It focuses on inspiring individuals to get involved and to show concern and to work toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we must focus on working all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A descendant involved in conservation work shared optimism that “given direction and once enabled, humans can be responsible caretakers of our planet”, highlighting the initiatives of a foundation which, among its other activities, assists young people become engaged with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As my late grandmother constantly emphasized, our daily actions have an impact and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we make,” he said. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will provide inspiration and raise awareness regarding constructive efforts that people are making.”