🔗 Share this article

Our planet could be under strain, yet there is hope. A novel accolade from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus will motivate the public to act.

The medal is to be awarded in memory of the esteemed British primatologist who passed away this year. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that advocate for life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners are slated for announcement at the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, which will run from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

Reports indicate that Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The concept behind this medal, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “She expressed she would like this to happen. And I think due to the close connection she had with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge enduring projects carried out to create a planet improved for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement for the continuation such efforts,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival indicated 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 medal for science communication established a decade past,” he explained. Jane Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook for Earth, one figure remarked, “Honestly, it's challenging to maintain optimism. The current political climate in one major nation represents a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples global initiatives.”

“In truth, things don’t look very good which means we need to really start thinking again, with greater urgency about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not just climate change, but also the whole way that we treat our environment.”

A Call to Action

Therefore, it was noted this is a good time to follow her guiding principles. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, the focus will be on this essential spirit that Jane embodied – which made her foremost concern, to change our relationship with the other animals around us.”

Another key issue at present was highlighted of misinformation. The theme of next year’s festival will be “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that factual reality has become a subject of discussion when politics is involved. This is an alarming trend,” he commented. “The science of climate remains a scientific discipline; you cannot have any influence from politics in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The hope is that the medal will inspire concrete steps. “It focuses on encouraging people to engage and to show concern and to strive toward these goals, truly. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we have to look at doing all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still continue striving towards succeeding.”

A family member involved in conservation work expressed optimism that “with guidance and once enabled, humans can be responsible caretakers of our planet”, citing the work of a foundation that, among its other activities, helps the next generation become engaged with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As my late grandmother constantly told everyone, our daily actions are significant and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we make,” he said. “There is still time and this medal will provide inspiration and raise awareness regarding the positive actions that people are making.”