🔗 Share this article

The world is under pressure, but there is hope. A novel accolade from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus will motivate the public to make a difference.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will be given in memory of the celebrated British primatologist who died recently. It will recognise individuals and groups that advocate for the natural world.

Award Details

The inaugural winners are expected to be announced at the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, which will run from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had backed the medal's establishment. “The vision behind this award, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “Her desire was she would like this to happen. And I think due to the unique connection she had with the festival.”

“This medal will recognize sustainable programmes undertaken to create a planet a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement to carry on such efforts,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

A co-founder of the festival stated that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – will likely encompass various fields.

“It will be inspired by the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication that we created exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Jane Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, a prominent voice remarked, “Frankly, it’s very hard to be optimistic. Present governance in one major nation represents an assault on knowledge. So this undermines collective action.”

“To be honest, the situation appears particularly bright therefore we must really start thinking again, with greater urgency regarding the impact of our actions. And that’s not only climate change, but also the whole way that we treat nature.”

Inspiring Change

Therefore, observers believe this is an opportune moment to honor her guiding principles. “I think that in bestowing the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy that Jane embodied – that was her foremost concern, to change the way we treat fellow creatures around us.”

Another key issue currently involves the spread of misinformation. The theme of the upcoming festival will be “the search for truth”.

“There is a recognition that truth has become a matter of debate when politics is involved. This is a perilous development,” he commented. “The climate science is a science; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration remains that the medal will spur concrete steps. “It’s about inspiring individuals to engage and to care and to work in that direction, really. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we must look at working all that is possible,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, yet we must continue striving toward success.”

A descendant involved in conservation work shared confidence that “with guidance and when empowered, humans are capable of being conscientious guardians of our planet”, pointing to the initiatives of an institute which, among its other activities, helps the next generation get involved locally, animals, and environment.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly emphasized, our daily actions have an impact and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we make,” it was stated. “It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and raise awareness regarding constructive efforts currently in progress.”