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Earth could be under pressure, however a sense of hope remains. 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 to pay tribute to the celebrated British primatologist who died this year. It will recognise individuals and groups that champion our planet's biodiversity.

The Medal's Framework

The first recipients will be revealed during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd next year.

According to statements that Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The idea behind this medal, and the festival being tasked with organising it, originated with Jane,” a statement said. “She expressed she would like for this to occur. This is likely because of the close relationship she had with the festival.”

“This medal will recognize ongoing initiatives carried out to create a planet improved for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support to continue that work,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

A co-founder of Starmus noted that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – would probably have multiple categories.

“It’s going to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication that we created exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts about the future of the planet, a prominent voice said, “To be truthful, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. Present governance in one major nation is conducting a dismissal of evidence. So this significantly hampers collective action.”

“In truth, the situation appears very good therefore we must commence reconsidering, much more seriously about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not just climate change, but also the entire manner in which we interact with nature.”

Inspiring Change

Consequently, it was noted this is an opportune moment to follow Goodall’s example. “I think that when we’re awarding the prize, the focus will be on this essential spirit that Jane embodied – that was her priority, to transform the way we treat wildlife around us.”

A pressing concern currently is the proliferation of misinformation. The theme of the upcoming festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that truth has become a matter of debate where political interests is involved. This is an alarming trend,” he commented. “The climate science is a science; it is impossible to allow interference from politics in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The hope remains that this honor will inspire action. “It’s about motivating others to participate and to show concern and to strive toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to focus on doing the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must continue striving towards succeeding.”

A descendant engaged in conservation work expressed optimism that “with guidance and when empowered, humanity can be diligent stewards of our planet”, highlighting the programs of a foundation which, in addition to its projects, assists young people become engaged locally, animals, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often emphasized, our daily actions have an impact and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” he said. “It is not too late and this medal will offer support and raise awareness regarding the positive actions that people are making.”