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Earth is facing challenges, yet there is hope. A new award from the science, music and arts festival Starmus will inspire the public to take action.

The medal will be given to pay tribute to the esteemed scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It is designed to celebrate individuals and groups that champion life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are expected to be announced during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from 17–22 October next year.

It was shared that Goodall, a former member of the festival's board, had supported the award’s creation. “The idea of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “She said that she wanted for this to occur. This is likely because of the unique connection she shared with the festival.”

“This medal will acknowledge enduring projects carried out to create a planet improved for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement to continue that work,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

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

“The intent is for it to be modeled after the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach that we created a decade past,” he explained. Goodall was a recipient of that very medal.

Expressing concern about the future of the planet, one figure stated, “To be truthful, it's challenging to maintain optimism. The current political climate globally represents a war on science. This situation undermines global initiatives.”

“To be honest, things don’t look very good therefore we must really start reflecting, much more seriously regarding the impact of our actions. This concern encompasses not only global warming, but also the entire manner in which we interact with nature.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, it was noted this is a good time to follow Goodall’s example. “It is believed that in bestowing this medal, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her priority, to change the way we treat wildlife with which we share the planet.”

A pressing concern currently was highlighted of false information. The central topic of next year’s Starmus festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that factual reality has become a subject of discussion where political interests is involved. This is a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “The science of climate remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal is that the medal will inspire concrete steps. “It focuses on motivating others to get involved and to show concern and to strive toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we must focus on doing our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of failure, yet we must continue striving towards succeeding.”

A descendant engaged in environmental protection shared confidence that “given direction and once enabled, humanity can be conscientious guardians of Earth”, highlighting the work of a foundation which, in addition to its projects, empowers the next generation get involved with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often emphasized, the choices we make each day have an impact and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we choose to create,” it was stated. “It is not too late and this medal will give encouragement and increase understanding about beneficial initiatives currently in progress.”