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The world might be under pressure, however optimism persists. A new award from the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival seeks to motivate people to make a difference.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal is to be awarded in honour of the renowned scientist and conservationist who died recently. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that advocate for life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners will be revealed during the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, scheduled from 17–22 October next year.

It was shared that Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had supported the award’s creation. “The idea of having this medal, and the festival being tasked with organising it, is Jane’s,” a representative said. “She expressed she would like this to happen. This is likely because of the close bond she had with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will recognize ongoing initiatives undertaken to create a planet a better place for people, animals and the environment and provide encouragement for the continuation such efforts,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

One of the founders of Starmus stated that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – will likely encompass various fields.

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

Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, a prominent voice remarked, “To be truthful, it's challenging to maintain optimism. The current political climate in one major nation represents a war on science. This situation significantly hampers global initiatives.”

“In truth, things don’t look particularly bright so we have to begin to reconsidering, much more seriously about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not just global warming, that’s the entire manner in which we interact with nature.”

A Call to Action

Consequently, it was noted this is a good time to honor her guiding principles. “It is believed that in bestowing the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy that Jane embodied – which made her priority, to change our relationship with the other animals with which we share the planet.”

A major topic today was highlighted of misinformation. The central topic of next year’s Starmus festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that truth is becoming a matter of debate where political interests are involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” it was said. “The climate science is a science; you cannot allow interference by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The hope is that the medal will inspire concrete steps. “The purpose is motivating others to engage and to show concern and to work in that direction, truly. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we must focus on doing the best we can,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of failure, yet we must have to work toward success.”

A descendant engaged in environmental protection shared confidence that “given direction and when empowered, people can be responsible caretakers of Earth”, highlighting the work of a foundation that, among its other activities, helps the youth become engaged with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As Jane Goodall often told everyone, the choices we make each day are significant and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we make,” it was stated. “There is still time and this medal will provide inspiration and increase understanding regarding beneficial initiatives that are being undertaken.”