A Starmus Earth Medal in Honor of Jane Goodall to Celebrate Individuals Working to Better the Planet.

Our planet might be facing challenges, however there is hope. A novel accolade from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to encourage the public to take action.

The medal will honor to pay tribute to the celebrated British primatologist who died recently. It seeks to acknowledge those who champion life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

The first recipients are slated for announcement at the Starmus VIII festival in Tenerife and La Palma, scheduled from 17–22 October next year.

According to statements that Jane Goodall, a former member of the festival's board, had backed the medal's establishment. “The idea of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “She expressed she would like this to happen. This is likely due to the very special connection she had with the festival.”

“This medal aims to highlight ongoing initiatives carried out to build an environment improved for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement to carry on that work,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus noted that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – will likely encompass various fields.

“The intent is for it to be modeled after the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach established a decade past,” it was explained. Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts about the future for Earth, a prominent voice remarked, “Honestly, it's challenging to maintain optimism. The current political climate globally is conducting a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples global initiatives.”

“In truth, the situation appears particularly bright therefore we must commence thinking again, much more seriously about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not just climate change, that’s the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”

Following an Example

As a result, observers believe this is an opportune moment to follow Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that when we’re awarding the prize, we will be considering this core philosophy that Jane embodied – which made her priority, to change how we regard wildlife with which we share the planet.”

A major topic at present involves the spread of false information. The theme of next year’s festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“There is a recognition that truth is becoming a subject of discussion when politics are involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” it was said. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The hope is that this honor will spur action. “It’s about encouraging people to engage and to care and to work toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we must look at working all that is possible,” it was added. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must have to work toward success.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection shared hope that “given direction and once enabled, humans are capable of being responsible caretakers of Earth”, citing the initiatives of a foundation that, in addition to its projects, helps the youth get involved with their community, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often emphasized, the choices we make each day have an impact and it is up to us what type of impact we make,” he said. “There is still time and this medal will offer support and increase understanding regarding constructive efforts that people are making.”