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Our planet could be facing challenges, however optimism persists. A new award originating at the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival will motivate people to act.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name is to be awarded to pay tribute to the esteemed scientist and conservationist who died recently. It will recognise individuals and groups that champion the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

The first recipients are expected to be announced during 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 supported the medal's establishment. “The idea of having this award, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “She said she would like for this to occur. And I think because of the very special bond she had with the festival.”

“This medal will acknowledge ongoing initiatives carried out to create a planet a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and foster motivation for the continuation such efforts,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

A co-founder of Starmus indicated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – will likely include several divisions.

“The intent is for it to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award for science communication that we created exactly 10 years ago,” 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. Certain policies in one major nation is conducting an assault on knowledge. So this significantly hampers the world’s efforts.”

“In truth, things don’t look very good which means we need to begin to reconsidering, with greater urgency regarding the impact of human activity. This concern encompasses not just climate change, but also the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”

A Call to Action

Therefore, observers believe this is a good time to honor her guiding principles. “It is believed that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to change how we regard wildlife around us.”

A pressing concern at present is the proliferation of false information. The theme of the upcoming Starmus festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“We realised that factual reality has become contested when politics are involved. This is a very dangerous thing,” it was said. “Climate research remains a scientific discipline; you cannot have any influence from politics in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal remains that the medal can motivate positive change. “It focuses on encouraging people to get involved and to care and to strive toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we must focus on doing all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member involved in environmental protection shared confidence that “given direction and when empowered, humanity are capable of being responsible caretakers of our planet”, citing the work of a foundation which, among its other activities, helps the youth become engaged locally, animals, and environment.

“As Jane Goodall constantly told everyone, our daily actions have an impact and it is up to us the kind of difference we choose to create,” it was stated. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will provide inspiration and increase understanding regarding the positive actions that are being undertaken.”